Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Jan 18: Two females among three passengers died and 15 others got critically injured when an overloaded Tata Sumo taxi rolled down in a deep gorge near Dangakote in Bomaag area, here today.
The Tata Sumo, bearing registration number JK14A-8908 was on way from Tote in Bomaag to Reasi when it met with the accident around 4 pm. The vehicle rolled down around 70 feet deep in the gorge, resulting into on the spot death of a female passenger and critical injuries to 17 others. Two more passengers succumbed to their injuries at Government Medical College & Hospital Jammu.
The deceased were identified as Taro Devi, wife of Parshotam Singh of Garage (Tote), Ashana Bibi (32), wife of Jan Mohd of Ladda and Jagdish Singh (25), son of Badri Singh of Devigarh, Taro Devi died on the spot while Ashana Bibi and Jagdish Singh succumbed to their injuries at GMC Jammu.
The injured were initially shifted to District Hospital Reasi where 14 of them were referred to Government Medical College Jammu in view of their critical conditions.
Driver of the Tata Sumo managed to escape and fled from the spot as the heavily overloaded vehicle skidded off the road before rolling down deep into the gorge. The vehicle was carrying 19 persons, including the driver.
Those, undergoing treatment at GMC Jammu, were identified as Parshotam Singh, son of Muni Lal, age 32, resident of Kotli Lander , his 10 years old daughter Narmata, Santosh Devi (27), wife of Kulwant Singh of Reasi , Shabana (9), daughter of Liyakat Ali of Ladda , Tarik (9), son of Abdul Gani of Ladda , Liyakat Ali (27), son of Mohd Shafi of Ladda , Kulwant Singh (35), son of Krishan Singh of Baryote , Mohd Yusuf (56), son of Gulam Hussain of Devigarh , Shamshad Bibi (35), wife of Zamat Ali of Ladda and Chamel Singh (32), son of Amar Nath of Reasi.
Overloading was the apparent cause of accident. Police has registered the case and started a hunt to nab the accused driver.
Last year on October 20, 21 passengers were killed and 45 others injured when an overcrowded bus had rolled down at Jyotipuram.
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