Ajay Raina
KISHTWAR, Apr 3: Three persons including an infant girl were killed and seven others were injured, when they were hit by landslide and shooting stones at Kuligad area near Drabshalla on the Doda-Kishtwar highway, here today.
As per police sources, a fresh landslide took place around 11 am when a group of people were crossing the landslide prone Kuligad area near Drabshalla on Doda-Kishtwar highway by foot.
The people crossing the highway de-boarded their respective vehicles and were crossing the landslide prone Kuligad area on foot, when they were hit by landslide and shooting stones.
After getting information, police personnel and locals rushed to the spot and started rescue operation.
During the rescue operation, two persons were found dead and 8 other injured persons including a two-month baby girl were rushed to the District Hospital in police and other vehicles, where the two months old baby identified as Insha, daughter of Imtiaz Ahmed, a resident of Tatani Saroor District Kishtwar failed to respond to the treatment and succumbed to her injuries.
The two persons, who were killed, have been identified as Choudhary Farooq Ahmed (35), son of Choudhary Abdul Wahid, a resident of Bhagra Nallah, Sarthal and Chander Prakash (35), son of Paras Ram, a resident of Bunjwah Saroor.
The injured persons have been identified as Rajni Devi (30), wife of Yog Raj, a resident of Drabshalla, Raheela Begum (23), wife of Imtiyaz Ahmed, a resident of Tatani, Ghulam Hussain (20), son of Ghulab Din, a resident of Batkoot Kuntwara, Anayatullah (30), son of Ghulam Mustafa, Shamim Ahmed (9) and Ahmed (7), both sons of Farooq Ahmed and Irfana Banoo (5), daughter of Farooq Ahmed, all residents of Saroor, District Kishtwar.
Meanwhile, the 110 kilometers Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway connecting Jammu and other parts of the State remained closed for couple of hours due to landslide and shooting stones at Kuligad area near Drabshalla today.
Hundreds of vehicles carrying essential commodities including vegetables, fruits, ration, petrol and diesel got stranded on highway due to landslide. Some of the passengers de-boarded their respective vehicles and trekked through 8 to 10 kilometers to reach their destination by crossing mountainous routes.
Concerned authorities reached the spot along with men and machinery and started the work to restore the vehicular movement on the highway. After couple of hours, the vehicular movement on the highway was restored.
Governor NN Vohra has expressed shock and grief over the tragic demise of three persons in this landslide incident.
In a condolence message, the Governor has conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls. He has wished speedy recovery to those who have been injured in this incident.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief over the tragic demise of three persons in this landslide incident.
Chief Minister has conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
However, the Minister for Public Works Department, Naeem Akhtar has asked the Chief Engineer R&B Department Jammu to immediately rush to the spot and take stock of the road restoration work in the area.
Minister said that the Chief Engineer (CE), R&B Jammu has been asked to work out the feasibility of providing an alternate link bypassing the existing susceptible stretch.
“As soon as the feasibility report for the alternate link is finalized, the R&B Department would start work on it after fulfilling the requisite codal formalities”, the Minister said and added that Rs 90 crore already stands sanctioned for upgradation of Batote-Kishtwar highway.
When contacted, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Kishtwar GN Balwan said that the administration through Red Cross Society provided Rs 5,000 initial relief to the family members of the deceased and Rs 2,000 along with medicines to injured persons.
“Administration will prepare a file of the incident and accordingly the relief amount will be paid to the family members of the deceased and injured persons”, he said, adding that Rs 4 lakh each will be paid to the family members of the persons, who got killed due to landslide.
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