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| Minibus falls into Chenab; two killed | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 04: As a thick blanket of fog covered the region this morning, making visibility poor, a minibus skidded off the road at Thanpal in Reasi and plunged into river Chenab, resulting in the instant death of two persons, including a woman, and injuries to 13 others, including a nine-month-old girl child.
The ill-fated minibus (3155/JK02H), which was on its way to Narlu, left the Reasi bus stand at about 7.30 am when the roads were foggy.
Police sources said due to poor visibility caused by thick fog, minibus driver misjudged a sharp curve at Thanpal near Arnas as a result of which the vehicle straightway fell into Chenab at about 8.40 am.
Some roadside shopkeepers and locals, who saw the minibus falling into the river, ran to the rescue of the commuters. A police team from a nearby place also reached the spot.
Locals and cops then started the rescue operation and jumped into the icy river waters without caring for their lives. They did a yeoman service by taking the injured out of the waters, according to Reasi police station SHO, DSP (probationer) Vipan Chandran.
He said two persons -- driver Lakshman Singh of Narlu and Kamla Devi (60) of Thanal -- died on the spot as they had sustained multiple injuries.
Kamla's husband Baldev Singh, who was also in the minibus, sustained serious injuries.
Surprisingly, nine-month-old baby Vaishno Devi survived the icy river waters and did not receive a single bruise. Her parents -- Chain Singh (22) of Chakalwala and Satya Devi (20) -- were wounded.
Other injured were identified as Mumtaz Ali of Gujjar Kothe, Lakshmi (65) of Arnas, Dalip Singh (32) of Talwara, his son Karnail Singh (12), Dille Ram (65) of Thillu, Sandeep Singh (19) of Thanpal, Ravina Devi (17) of Sain Lanjan, Meero (19) of Thanpal and Arun alias Ankush of Thanpal.
All of them were evacuated to the district hospital, Reasi, in police and civil vehicles. However, following deterioration in their condition, Mumtaz Ali, Lakshmi and Ravina were later referred to the Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
The SHO said earlier reports suggested that a total of 18 to 20 people travelled in the minibus. Since the number of total people taken out of the river stood at 15, including the two dead, a team of divers from the nearby Salal Hydel Project was summoned to search for the remaining persons, if any, he added.
He said when, after making searches in the water, the divers said there was no more person left there, the reacue operation was called off. The minibus was also later taken out of the river, he added.
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