Five commuters, including three women, were killed and 9 others sustained injuries when a minibus, they were travelling in, met with an accident here on Wednesday.
An official said that the minibus on its way to Gandoh fromThathri was hit by a massive landslide at Piyakul, 37 km from here, onThathri-Kilhotraan road.
Sub Divisional Police Officer— Gandoh Bhallesa— NawazKhanday told Greater Kashmir that five commuters died on the spot. The injuredwere rushed to a hospital for the treatment, he added.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Thathri, Muhammad Anwar Banday,said that preliminary reports suggest that the ill-fated minibus was crossingthe muddy patch when it came under the debris of the landslide that rolled downfrom the hill.
Locals and policemen reached the spot but it took some timeto start the rescue operation due to shooting stones and rolling mud.
The deceased were identified as Shakeela Bagum wife of Ghulam Nabi Bhat, Mansoor Ahmad son ofSaifuddin Bhat, Gulshan Begum wife of Mansoor Ahmed, Mudasir Husain and Kamlesha devi.
Shooting stone kills man
Meanwhile, a man identified as Fareed Ahmed Bakarwal, 55,son of Muhammad Yousuf of Darsu Udhampur died after he was hit by a shootingstone near Monkey morh in Ramban district on Jammu Srinagar national highway on Wednesday.
Station House Officer Ramban, Inspector Vijay Kotwal saidthat inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPc have been initiated toascertain the cause of death. (With M M Parvaiz in Ramban)