Jammu: Ten yatris on way to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra died while 63 others were injured when the bus carrying them fell from near a bridge on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway at Jhajjar Kotli in Jammu district on Tuesday.
The dead included five females, four males and a child from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab.
Over 73 yatris, driver Ganesh and his helper were onboard in the ill-fated passenger bus that was on its way to Katra from Amritsar. Police said that the driver of the over-crowded bus (UP80-CT-0999) lost control over the wheel while negotiating a sharp curve at Jhajjar Kotli Bridge around 5:30 am.
It said that the bus skidded off the road and plunged from the bridge, leaving eight passengers and the bus driver dead on the spot.
Soon after the accident, the J&K Police led by SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli, SDRF teams, paramilitary forces, medical staff with ambulances with the help of locals rushed to the accident site and evacuated the injured to the nearby hospital in Dansal for treatment.
Besides the rescue operation by different teams, machines including cranes were also engaged to rescue the trapped persons from the bus.
Sixty-four injured passengers were referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H), Jammu.
A critically injured succumbed at GMC&H Jammu, taking the total number of deaths to 10.
Six yatris sustained minor injuries while 57 others with multiple injuries were admitted at GMC&H Jammu.
Soon after the accident, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Jammu, Avny Lavasa told Greater Kashmir that 10 persons had died in the accident at Jhajjar Kotli and at least 57 were injured.
The dead have been identified as Lalita Devi, wife of Manoj Sharma; Kanti Devi, wife of Gandhari Sharma; Krish Sharma (child), son of Manoj Sharma; Fulli Devi, wife of Mohinder Sharma; Jully Devi, wife of Arvind Sharma; Bimla Devi, wife of Munna Sharma; Ganesh Sharma; Jagdish Raj; Arvind Sharma, son of Baleshwar Sharma; Kalash Sharma, son of Sita Ram; and Rajinder Sharma.
The dead passengers were from Bhawanipur Lakhisarai, Bihar, one was from Uttar Pradesh and others from Amritsar, Punjab.
Most of the yatris who died were relatives and from Bihar. Some of them had settled in Amritsar in Punjab.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu’s office said that the 66 passengers were injured in the accident.
Talking to media persons at GMC&H where he visited to enquire about the condition of the injured, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh expressed sympathy with the family members of the dead yatris.
“The injured will be provided with the best medical care,” he said.
