Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 13: In a tragic accident, seven persons including Special Police Officer (SPO) got killed when the Tata Sumo, they were traveling in, skidded off the road and plunged into deep gorge near Gulabgarh area of the mountainous Kishtwar district this evening
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK17-3828 was on its way to Gulabgarh from village Sohal when the driver lost control over the vehicle, which plunged into deep gorge near Gulabgarh. The negligent driving by driver is stated to be the reason behind the tragic accident.
On getting information, police team and locals rushed to the spot and started rescue operation.
All the seven seriously injured persons were shifted to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Atholi in police and other vehicles, where doctors pronounced all of them as brought dead.
Six deceased have been identified as Special Police Officer (SPO) Rajinder Singh, son of Suram Singh of Tatti Ligir, Nitish Kumar, son of Naseeb Singh of Matti, Sonam Notap, son of Somnath Bodh of Kabban, Mohinder Kumar, son of Ram Prasad Megh of Matti, Manak, son of Lekh Raj of Kundal and Yograj, son of Premnath of Matti. The identity of seventh deceased could not be ascertained.
The bodies of the deceased were shifted to mortuary of the hospital and will be handed over to family members for last rites after completion of legal formalities tomorrow.
A case has been registered at Police Station Padder in this regard.
The tragic accident has once again brought to the fore that adequate steps are not being initiated by the concerned authorities particularly the Traffic Police to check the negligent driving, which is claiming lives of hundreds of commuters every year not only in Kishtwar but other hilly districts of the State.
“It is unfortunate that recommendations made by various committees and even by a panel of Legislature have not been taken seriously by the concerned authorities and the outcome of the same is loss of precious lives in the tragic road accidents frequently particularly in the hilly erstwhile Doda district”, sources said.
The non serious attitude of the concerned authorities is notwithstanding the fact that even the Governor has expressed concern a number of time over loss of numerous precious lives in the tragic road accidents in the hilly districts of the State.
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