Overloaded Tata Sumo plunges into deep gorge
* Govt’s tall claims again proved hollow
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 28: Four members of a family were among 10 persons killed and two others sustained severe injuries when an overloaded Tata Sumo plunged into 250 feet deep gorge in Kishtwar district. However, two passengers, who were sitting on the roof top of the vehicle, had a miraculous escape as they managed to jump from the vehicle before it started rolling down.
The tragic incident has once again exposed that despite tall claims by the concerned authorities there is no change at the ground as far as tackling over-loading in the passenger vehicles is concerned and Government has not started acting upon the recommendations of the House Committee of the Legislative Assembly, which had recently submitted its report on the menace of tragedies on roads in the erstwhile Doda district during the Budget Session.
Reports said that the ill-fated Tata Sumo bearing registration number JK06-0163 was on its way from Dhar to Drabshalla when it met with accident at Dugga reportedly due to the negligence of the driver, whose lust for earning extra bucks snatched the lives of 10 persons including four of a family and rendered two others bed-ridden for several months.
As the driver could not negotiate curve due to difficulty in free movement of the steering owing to presence of more passengers on the front row, the vehicle rolled down into deep gorge amidst rainfall. Two passengers, who were sitting on the roof top of the vehicle, jumped from the vehicle as soon as they saw vehicle turning towards the gorge side. They have escaped the tragedy with minor bruises.
On the receipt of information, civil and police administration swung into action and started rescue operation. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jatinder Singh was deputed by the Deputy Commissioner, M H Malik to personally supervise the rescue operation. Even SP Kishtwar, B S Tuti rushed to the spot along with police teams to ensure early evacuation of the passengers from the gorge.
After hectic efforts, all the 12 occupants of the vehicle including the driver were brought out of gorge and rushed to local hospital where doctors declared nine of them as brought dead.
Keeping in view the critical condition of one passenger, the district administration immediately approached the IAF authorities and got a chopper arranged. However, before the critically injured person could be taken to helipad he succumbed to injuries thereby raising the toll in the accident to 10.
Later, one of the two injured, who had sustained severe spinal chord and head injuries, was airlifted to Jammu for specialized treatment in the Government Medical College and Hospital. His as well as the condition of another injured was stated to be out of danger when reports last came in.
The tragic accident has put a huge question mark on the seriousness of the Government about tackling the menace of over-loading in the hilly districts. The traveling of 14 persons in a Tata Sumo clearly depicts that Government’s claims are still hollow and there is no taker of its directions on ground.
Though Motor Vehicle Act enforcement agencies always claim that it is not possible to deploy manpower at short distance to check overloading in the passenger vehicles yet Government can check this menace by deploying adequate number of passenger vehicles in the remote routes so that people get sufficient transport facilities and don’t indulge in over-loading of the vehicles.
It is pertinent to mention here that House Committee, which was constituted to suggest remedial measures to frequent tragedies on the roads in hilly districts, has also recommended plying of sufficient passenger vehicles by the Government.
The deceased in the accident have been identified as Pradeep Kumar, son of Om Prakash of Kukarwas, Sapna Devi, daughter of Des Raj of Kulchanda, Anita Devi, wife of Subash Chander of Kulchanda, Mukti Devi, wife of Des Raj of Kulchanda, Sheetal Devi, daughter of Des Raj of Kulchanda, Sandeep Kumar, son of Om Prakash of Kulchanda, Joginder Kumar, son of Krishan lal of Gard, Ranjeet Kumar, son of Mohan Lal of Sharoti Saroor, Govind Kumar, son of Hem Raj of Gad Saroor and Vishal Thakur, son of Des Raj of Kulchanda.
The injured have been identified as Anikeet, son of Subash and Des Raj, both the residents of Kulchanda.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, while expressing grief over the loss of lives in the road accident, conveyed his sympathy with the bereaved families. He has announced ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh each in favour of next of kin of the deceased and Rs 10,000 each for the injured out of Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah has also expressed shock over the tragic road accident.
Follow our WhatsApp channel