Eleven passengers were killed and four critically injured when an overloaded Tata Sumo skidded off the road and fell into a gorge at Kunda on Chanderkote-Rajgarh link road of Ramban tehsil Saturday morning. Among the dead were four women and five children.
Police said the passenger vehicle -JK14B-0369- was on way to Rajgarh from Chanderkote. The vehicle was carrying eight passengers more than its seating capacity.
Five passengers died on the spot whereas other five succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to District Hospital Ramban. One minor boy succumbed to his injuries at Army helipad Chanderkote, police said.
Locals said the Chanderkote-Rajgarh link road constructed under PMGSY was in dilapidated condition due to recent rain and snowfall. “The driver of the vehicle lost control on a soil mound made over a fallen tree on the road. The vehicle reversed and fell into the gorge,” a local resident said.
After getting information about the accident, deputy commissioner RambanShowkatAijazBhat and SSP Anita Sharma rushed to the hospital and requisitioned a helicopter for shifting the grievously injured to medical college hospital Jammu.
Three seriously injured passengers were airlifted to Jammu for specialized treatment whereas one injured is admitted in district hospital Ramban.
Medical superintendent district hospital Ramban, Dr. J P Singh said they received 10 bodies and five injured. “One minor boy succumbed to his injuries at Chanderkote helipad.”
The deceased have been identified as Urmilla Devi (32) wife of Manjeet Singh of DaswalRajgarh; her two-year old daughter Pari; Romal Din (61) son of Abdullah of MiladanRajgarh; ImmanaBano (13); her three-month old sister, both daughters of ZakirHussain of MildanRajgarh; Babli Devi (37) wife of Jasveer Singh of KumaitRajgagh, her 9-year old son; Rubeena Begum (30) wife of Muhammad Akram of TatarsooRamban; Muhammad Mubeen (23) son of Saidullah of SataraBharthundRamban; Hassan Bibi (40) wife of GullaGujar of BagwaDoda.
The child who succumbed to his injuries at Chanderkote helipad was identified as Karun (10) son of Jasveer Singh of JatgaliRajgarh.
Three injured persons airlifted to Jammu are driver Sanjay Kumar (20) son of Mohan Lal of BibrotaRajgarh; Misra Begum (36) wife of ZakirHussain of MildanRajgarh; and Mohammad Akram (30) son of Fakhir Din of TatarsooMaitra, Ramban.
Another injured identified as Kishore Kumar (22) son of Lokeshman of JatgaliRamban is admitted at district hospital Ramban.
After conducting autopsy and other legal formalities at district hospital, all the bodies were handed over to legal heirs of the deceased.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Ramban for further investigations.