Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 25: At least 42 persons were injured, some of them seriously, when an over-loaded mini-bus went out of control and fell into a nallah in Majakote area of district Rajouri today.
The mishap took place at around 7.30 am when the bus No. JK-12/4701, having capacity of just 24 passengers, was carrying nearly 60 passengers. Many passengers were sitting on the roof top while others found fully packed inside. Some passengers were hanging from back stairs and side-door of the vehicle. It started from Manjakote at around 7 am and when it reached at Khetarmal, the driver lost control due to over speeding and the vehicle landed into a field and then after taking several turns, fell into ‘nallah’.
The eyewitness said that many passengers who were sitting on the root top were thrown in the maize field and survived with some injuries. While the driver, managed to escaped from the spot during hue and cry by the passengers, the people of the area rushed towards the accident site. The police party from Manjakote also reached there after some time and started shifting the injured to Rajouri. About a dozen persons received fractures.
While 38 passengers were removed to District Hospital, Rajouri, four others were provided treatment at Manjakote Health Centre. Five injured from Rajouri hospital were later discharged. Three seriously injured were referred to GMC hospital, Jammu. They were identified as Mohd Shafi of Surankote, Gulsaid Khan of Mangalnad and Imran Khan of Manjakote.
The thirty passengers undergoing treatment in Rajouri hospital were identified as Zahir Hussain, Mohd Shafiq, Maqsood Hussain, Mohd Riaz all from Niali, Mohd Bashir, Zail Hussain and Rakia Khanum from Galuti, Rubia Kouser and Mohd Shafi from Manjakote, Said Mohd from Galuti, Farida Kouser from Thandikasi, Mohd Shafiq, Zahir Iqbal and Mohd Arshed from Saidpura, Mohd Bashir from sarula, Shaheen Akhtar from Mangalnad, Gulrez Akhtar from Galuti, Mohd Sharief from Kalaban- Mendhar, Mohd Naseer and Hanifa Kouser from Dheri Dhara, Abdul Qayoom and Mohd Farooq from Galuti, Mohd Altaf and Mohd Rafiq from Manjakote, Hadad Ullah from Khetarmal, Mohd Ashfaq from Kalai, Mohd Mujahid from Sajjadpura,Mohd Hanief from Sarula, Asia Kouser from Niali and Jasbir Singh from Jamola.
Meanwhile, the police has registered a case against the driver and started a manhunt. The victims claimed that music was kept at high pitch by driver and he was probably not attentive and the bus went off the road causing accident. The police was investigating.
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