*42 seater bus was carrying 70 passengers
* Watch video on www.excelsiornews.com
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 20: Alleged negligence of the driver led to a tragic road accident causing death of 22 passengers and critical injuries to 48 others as an overloaded bus, on way from Reasi to Babbar, slipped into deep gorge near Jyotipuram in Reasi district today.
Fifteen passengers died on the spot while six others succumbed to their injuries on way to the hospital and one more at GMC Hospital Jammu. Condition of maximum injured was stated to be critical and 44 of them have been shifted to Government Medical College Hospital Jammu. The dead persons include a 2-year old infant and 12 female passengers.
The accident took place when the overloaded bus JK02S-0295, which was parked by driver on the roadside near NHPC Colony for loading some goods, started moving backward and slipped into more than 100 feet gorge, SSP Reasi, Tahir Sajjad Bhat told the Excelsior.
“Driver halted the bus on slight rising road and put a stone behind the rear tyre to keep it stranded for loading goods. As driver along with conductor were busy in loading of goods, the bus suddenly started moving backward and fell into deep gorge,” the SSP explained and added that both driver and conductor were absconding and Police teams have been dispatched to nab the duo.
The accident took place around 3.25 p.m and the 42-seater bus, carrying 70 passengers, was on way from Reasi to Babbar. Ironically, there was no official check on overloading of the vehicle, which was further being loaded with cement bags when the mishap happened.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus was packed over its capacity and a number of passengers were even sitting on its rooftop. Extreme overloading of the bus was apparent reason of its moving backward and consequent mishap.
Pertinent to mention that overloading of passenger vehicles is a routine phenomenon in rural areas and more particularly in hilly belts where the menace variously leads to fatal accidents claiming lives of innocent people.
Even as the rescue and evacuation operation was launched by locals and Police immediately after the accident, 15 passengers were found dead on the spot. Three others succumbed to their injuries on way to District Hospital Reasi and three more died while being referred to Jammu and one at GMC Hospital Jammu.
On the request of Divisional Administration, an Indian Air Force chopper was pressed into service for airlifting 15 critically wounded passengers to GMC Jammu while 29 other injured were shifted to the Jammu hospital by road.
According to Rajinder Sambyal, Superintendent of District Hospital Reasi, some of the victims have sustained critical head injuries. 15 persons were brought dead and six others succumbed to their injuries here while 44 injured have been shifted to GMC Hospital Jammu and five others are still admitted in the District Hospital Reasi,” he informed.
On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Deputy Commissioner Reasi released immediate cash relief of Rs 10000 each in favor of the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 5000 each for the injured. DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range and Surinder Gupta, SSP Reasi Tahir Bhat personally supervised the evacuation operation and shifting of the injured to Jammu.
The deceased were identified as Jameet Singh (46), son of Prem Singh of Sarote Kote, Rohit Kumar (18), son of Charan Dass of Vijaypur, Sonakshi Sharma (2), daughter of Vijay Kumar of Bakkal, Raj Kumari (39), wife of Kashmir Singh of Surjan Dhar, Shakuntla Devi (45), wife of Paras Ram of Bakkal, Vaishno Devi (50), wife of Bodh Raj of Semagha, Neera Devi (39), wife of Santokhi Singh of Sarsundhwan (Ward number 2), Mast Ram (40), son of Basantu of Sersundhwan, Prem Lata (36), wife of Bishen Singh of Sersundhwan, Neelam Devi (40) wife of Des Raj of Sersundhwan, Kaku Ram (63), son of Bakku of Sari, Khem Raj (23), son of Madan Lal of Sersundhwan, Sumatri Devi (57) wife of Ram Nath of Kotli Lajpat, Sujandhar, Sushma Devi (40), wife of Madan Lal of Sarsundhwan, Prem Nath (60, son of Sheru, resident of Sermagha, Atma Ram (56), son of Gopi Chand of Sersundhwan, Rumal Singh (47), son of Amru of Smakh Surjandhar, Shiv Singh (50, son of Amru Smakh, Surjandhar, Reeta Devi (25), wife of Sat Pal of Kothri Tote, Taro Devi (40), wife of Kaku Ram of Surjandhar and Vaishno Devi (22) wife of Pritam.
Identity of those admitted in GMC Hospital Jammu, has been established as; Kewal Krishan (35), Dalip Singh (45) son of Shamsher Singh, Baldev Chand (50) son of Bindru Ram, Ganesh (25) son of Nek Ram, Sabar Din (24), Diwarko Devi (60), Tej Ram (45) son of Sant Ram, Mohd Farooq (30) son of Mohd Aziz, Mohd Refaqat (18) , Mandeep (3) son of Ramesh Chander, Asha Devi (20) daughter of Kuldeep Singh, Rajni Devi wife of Vijay Kumar, Baldev Raj (24) son of Moti Ram, Maya Devi (48) wife of Sudhama, Nisha Devi (13) daughter of Shamsher Singh, Shamim Bibi (22) wife of Mirza, Puran Chand (50) son of Thakur Dass, Des Raj (45) son of Tej Ram, Punam Devi (35) wife of Balbir Singh, Parveen Singh (28) son of Swarn Singh, Yuvraj Singh (9) son of Rattan Singh, Seema Devi (15), Mohd Latif (32) son of Sai, Sonu (5) son of Madan Lal, Shanti (65), Rajo Devi (35) wife of Tej Ram, Naseerm Akhter (5) daughter of Latif, Vaishno Devi (28), Sheetal (45) wife of Tirath Ram, Shaloo (20) daughter of Madan Lal, Ram Harihar (45) son of Inderpati, Reenu (26), Pardeep (26) son of Khazoor Singh, Moti Ram (65) son of Sohnmal, Surinder Singh (57) son of Jodh Singh, Jameela Begum (30) wife of Mohd Latief, Subhash Chander (35) son of Prem Chand, Pooja Devi (22) wife of Himat Singh, Himat Singh (28) son of Suram Singh, Balwan Ali (16) son of Kaku and Asraf (6) son of Mirza.
Except Yougal (19) son of Govind Ram of Udhampur, all these injured are residents of Reasi.
Besides, an unknown male and a female of age about 45 and 42 years, respectively, residents of Reasi, are also among the injured of Reasi accident, admitted in GMCH Jammu.
Meanwhile , Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Governor N N Vohra, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and others have expressed their grief and sorrow over deaths in the tragic road accident.
Governor N N Vohra, in a condolence message, has conveyed his sympathies to the members of the bereaved families and prayed for peace to the departed souls. He has wished speedy recovery to the persons injured in this accident.
According to a Raj Bhavan spokesperson, the Governor has been re-iterating his serious concern that the regulatory authorities, particularly the Traffic Police, have yet to take adequately deterring measures to ensure against operation of old and technically unfit vehicles, inadequately trained drivers, overloading of passenger carrying vehicles, over-speeding on narrow and poorly maintained roads etc.
Extending heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in the tragic accident, the Chief Minister prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and also called for ensuring best possible medicare facilities for the injured.
Immediately after coming to know about the mishap, MoS in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, who also represents Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency, in which Reasi district falls, established contact with the Deputy Commissioner Reasi and directed to ensure all logistic support to help the shifting of victims to hospital as well as best possible treatment to the injured.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has also expressed his deep anguish and grief on this tragic accident and said that he had repeatedly been expressing his concern on the deteriorating traffic management on hilly terrain of Jammu & Kashmir and particularly the Jammu region. He expressed his deep condolences and urged upon the State Government to provide adequate medical help to those injured in this accident.
Deputy Chief Minister , Dr Nirmal Singh personally visited the GMC Hospital Jammu and enquired about condition of the injured. He directed the doctors and GMC administration to provide every sort of medical assistance to the injured. Adequate compensation is also being provided to the families of those who died in the accident, he added.
Former Minister and MLC Jugal Kishore has also expressed his grief and shock over the tragic accident and appealed the Government to provide adequate compensation to the families of deceased besides best possible free treatment to injured. He has also demanded a probe into the accident so that erring persons may be punished.
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