Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, July 21: Three persons including a teenager were feared dead, when the Tata Sumo they were traveling in, skidded off the road and plunged into river Chenab near village Gatsu on the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway this evening.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK06-5074 was on its way to Doda from Chirala, when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve, resulting the vehicle plunged into river Chenab near village Gatsu, around 11 kilometers from Doda town, at 5:40 pm.
After getting information, police team rushed to the spot and started rescue operation along with Army personnel, a team of Chenab Rescuers and locals, but till then the vehicle got submerged in Chenab river.
Neither the vehicle nor any passengers were found and it is assumed that all the three persons traveling in the vehicle got drowned in the river.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda Mohammad Shabir, the search operation was launched immediately, but as the river was overflowing, the possibility of tracing the vehicle or passengers are very meager.
“One of the passenger, informed that there were three persons including a teenager on-board, when he de-boarded the vehicle near Suigwadi”, he added.
Those who were drowned have been identified as Ravi Kumar (driver), son of Roshan Lal and Ishtiaq Ahmed (teacher), son of Manzoor Ahmed, both residents of Bacharra Chiralla, SSP said, adding that the identity of the drowned teenager could not be ascertained yet.
The search operation has been suspended and will be resumed tomorrow morning, SSP Mohammad Shabir informed.
A case in this regard has been registered at Doda police station and investigation started.
Meanwhile, MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh who is also Member of Parliament from the area, has expressed shock. He has directed the administration to leave no stone unturned to retrieve the bodies from the river.
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