As many as 36 passengers were killed after a bus carrying them skidded off the road and rolled down into a 300-foot gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday, officials said. The death toll is likely to go up, the officials added.
The incident happened near Trungal-Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway. According to the sources, the bus was ferrying 55 passengers.
Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, besides locals, are involved in the rescue operation, they said, adding that some of the injured passengers have been shifted to a hospital.
#WATCH | J&K | 36 people died and 19 people injured, including 6 critically injured, in a bus accident in Assar region of Doda. The injured have been shifted to hospital. Visuals from the accident spot. pic.twitter.com/AwA2LzVfCC
— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2023“A passenger bus, on its way from Kishtwar to Jammu, veered off the roads and fell 300 meters on another road near Trungal in the Assar area of Doda district,” a police officer told The Hindustan Times.
"Saddened to share the update from DC #Doda Sh Harvinder Singh from the spot of the accident. Unfortunately, 36 persons have died and 19 injured, out of whom 6 injured are serious," Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said.
He added that the injured are being shifted to government-run hospitals in Doda and Kishtwar. Dr Singh also said a helicopter service was being arranged to airlift the injured.
Saddened to share the update from DC #Doda Sh Harvinder Singh from the spot of the accident. Unfortunately 36 persons have died and 19 injured, out of whom 6 injured are serious. The injured are being shifted to GMC Doda and 1/2 https://t.co/bKkYIRT9mX
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) November 15, 2023"Injured being shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar and GMC Doda as per requirement. Helicopter service is to be arranged for shifting the more injured ones. All possible help, as required being provided," Mr Singh said on X
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences. 'The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest," the PMO posted on X. It added that the Prime Minister has said that an ex-gratia of ₹ 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund would be given to the families of those killed in the accident. Those injured will receive assistance of ₹ 50,000.
The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs.…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 15, 2023J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed profound sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families."Extremely pained by the loss of lives in a tragic bus accident in Assar, Doda. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families & wish for a speedy recovery of those injured in the accident. Directed Div Com & Dist Admin to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons," said LG Sinha.
(With inputs from PTI)
