26 dead, 41 injured as bus rolls down in Jammu Kashmir

Wreckage of the passenger bus after it rolls down near Painthal Tikri on Udhampur-Katra road in Jammu.

At least twenty six people were killed while forty one others injured all of them critically when a passenger bus they were traveling skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge at Painthal Tikri on Udhampur-Katra road this morning.

Jammu, June 24: At least twenty six people were killed while forty one others injured all of them critically when a passenger bus they were traveling skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge at Painthal Tikri on Udhampur-Katra road this morning.

According to NAK sources the a passenger Bus on way to Udhampur from Katra rolled down from the road into a 300 feet gorge at Painthal (Tikri) near check post killing twenty six and injuring forty one others.

Reports reaching here said that the driver of the ill fated bus (7538/JK02E) failed to negotiate a sharp curve and rolled down into a deep gorge.

Police, Army and locals immediately reached the spot and launched rescue operation to retrieve dead bodies and those injured in the accident.

The injured were shifted to Government Medical College Jammu where doctors term condition of some people as critical.

The bus was carrying passengers most of them employees when it met with an accident. “Bus was carrying passengers to Udhampur and most of them were government employees” a police officer said.

He said that the injured have been shifted to Government Medical College Jammu for specialized treatment. Further details are awaited.

Member Parliament Divisional administration including Divisional Commissioner and deputy commissioner Jammu visited the Hospital and assured financial out of his MP LAD fund. He also asked the paramedical staff to take due care of the injured so that they can get well soon.

Meanwhile Governor, N. N. Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed profound shock and grief over the loss of precious human lives in a tragic road accident.

In separate accident the Governor expressed his sympathy with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in this accident.

In his message the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed sympathy with the bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of those injured in the accident. He issued instructions to the Health Department to take all measures for providing specialized Medicare facilities to them.

In a condolence message, Azad expressed sympathy with the families who lost their dear ones and prayed for early recovery of those injured in the accident, who have been shifted to various hospitals for treatment. He asked the Health Department to take all possible measures for providing special Medicare facilities to the injured.

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party president and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia has condoled the demise of more than 35 persons in a bus accident off Painthal near Katra and demanded an ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased. (NAK)