Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU/RAMBAN, Mar 4: Four persons lost their lives while three other were injured when the vehicle they were on-board skidded off the road and landed into a deep gorge due to “slippery road conditions” in the mountainous Ramban district this morning.
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The ill fated vehicle of Tata Sumo make bearing registration number JK19-1401 was on its way to Ukhral from Pogal when it skidded off the road near Abass Morh and fell into a 500 feet deep gorge leaving three persons on-board dead on the spot and four others injured, one being critically.
Slippery road conditions in the mountainous areas of J&K, especially after rainfall in winters are common and require a lot of expertise to drive vehicles in such conditions.
Fall of the vehicle with a loud thud prompted those near the accident spot to run to the mishap site and rescue the accident victims.
Soon they were joined by cops and men from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and jointly they retrieved the bodies of three dead persons from the gorge and shifted them along with the injured to hospital.
Police identified the deceased persons as Mohd Ayoub, 44, son of Abdul Aziz; Abdul Wahid, 45, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bali, resident of Nowgam, Pogal and Anyayat Ullah Runyal, 42, resident of Panla, Maligam.
Sources in Police informed that the four injured were rushed to Primary Health Center Ukhral where driver of the vehicle Naveed Ahmed, 23, son of Abass, resident of Chapkani, Maligam was declared as brought dead by the doctors.
They said two critically injured persons identified as Mohd Irfan, 19, son of Abdul Rasheed, resident of Gujrara, Paristan and Nusrat Banoo, 9, daughter of Mushtaq Ahmed Katoch, resident of Gandhari, Ramban were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Anantnag from SDH Banihal for specialized treatment.
Police said Naseer Ahmed, 11, son of Mushtaq Ahmed Katoch, resident of Gandhari, Ramban was thrown out of the vehicle soon after skidding and he was shifted to PHC Ukhral from where he was discharged after providing medical aid.
When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ramban, Gaurav Mahajan said that Police is trying its best to contain such mishaps for which vehicles are only allowed after properly accessing the road conditions.
“During slippery conditions we issue instructions that no vehicle shall ply over the road,” he maintained adding: “The place where the accident took place today was a remote rural area in very interior.”
SHO Police Station Ramsu, Inspector Devinder Singh said after conducting post-mortem and other legal formalities bodies of all the four deceased persons were handed over to their family members for last rites.
Police has registered a case in this regard in FIR No. 26/2024 under Section 279/337/304-A at Police Station Ramsu and started investigation.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has condoled the loss of lives in the tragic road accident.
“I am deeply saddened to learn about the loss of precious lives in unfortunate road accident in Ramban today. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of those injured,” the Lieutenant Governor said and announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.
Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS in PMO has also expressed grief over the tragic road accident. In a message on social media platform ‘X’, he posted: “In constant touch with administration. All kind of possible assistance being provided to the affected.”
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Baseer Ul Haq Choudary posted on ‘X’: “Deeply saddened by the tragic accident at Abas Morh, Maligam, Pogal in Ukhral.”
He ordered immediate assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.
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