Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/KISHTWAR, Feb 9: In a heart wrenching incident, a 15-day old child lost his life along with two other persons, when the vehicle they were on board rolled down the road and landed in a deep gorge at Hakoo area of Padder in the mountainous district of Kishtwar this evening and the mishap left 12 other travellers injured.
The ill fated “overloaded” vehicle of Sumo Gold make bearing registration number JK17-7378 was coming from Gulabgarh and moving towards Hakoo in Padder but it rolled down near Hakoo (Palali).
Sources informed that the child, 15 days of age, son of Anjan Kumar, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Daya Krishan, 36, son of Janki Nath, resident of Hakoo Paddar and Subita Devi, 30, wife of Mithun Kumar, resident of Hakoo Paddar were killed in the accident.
The injured included Asah Devi, 25, wife of Mast Ram, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Kavita Devi, 24, wife of Anju Kumar, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Doulat Ram, 32, son of Girdhari Lal, resident of Hakoo Paddar; a three years old child, son of Mast Ram, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Bodh Raj, 33, son of Amar Chand, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Mela Ram, 60, son of Jai Ram, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Bhoori Devi, 60, wife of Rattan Singh, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Dheeraj Rana, 9, son of Mithun Kumar, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Advik Rana, 2, son of Mithun Kumar, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Harnam Singh, 36, son of Nand Lal, resident of Hakoo Paddar; Mast Ram, 33, son of Kaka Ram, resident of Hakoo Paddar and Anjan Kumar, 28, son of Bodh Raj, resident of Hakoo Paddar.
Driver of the vehicle was also among the injured.
At the time of accident 15 persons were on board the vehicle and all of them were injured.
Immediately after the accident, locals gathered at the site of mishap and started rescue operation with the help of cops and shifted the injured to Atholi Sub-District Hospital where doctors declared two of the injured as dead on arrival.
When contacted SSP Kishtwar, Abdul Qyoom said after first aid nine of the injured were shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar for specialised treatment.
Later, the injured Subita Devi succumbed to her injuries at Kishtwar District Hospital.
In late night five critically injured persons Asah Devi, wife of Mast Ram; three years old child of Mast Ram; Mast Ram, son of Kaka Ram; Kavita Devi, wife of Anju Kumar and Anjan Kumar, son of Bodh Raj were shifted to Government Medical College Hospital Jammu for specialised treatment.
The SSP said that the vehicle was moving over the road which had turned slippery due to mist and the driver failed to control the overloaded vehicle under such slippery conditions and it fell into the gorge.
The District Police chief told Excelsior that there were four children in the vehicle of which one was killed and three others were injured.
He further said that Police has registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law and started investigation to ascertain the exact cause of accident.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr. Jitendra Singh has expressed shock over the tragic accident.
On social media platform X (earlier Twitter) he wrote: “Just now spoke to DC #Kishtwar, Devansh Yadav after learning about the tragic road accident of a Jeep vehicle in the #Paddar area. Unfortunately there have been 3 casualties, while 12 injured have been shifted to hospital.”
He expressed condolences with the relatives of the deceased persons and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.
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