JAMMU: Tragedy today struck Digdol in Ramban when an overloaded minibus skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge, resulting in the death of 23 commuters, including a CRPF cop and a TA jawan, and multiple injuries to 24 others, including women and children.
Quoting eyewitnesses, police sources said the ill-fated minibus (JK14B/0180), which was on its way from Ramban to Neil in Banihal, was crammed with commuters, with some of them sitting on its rooftop.
Even as it carried people beyond its permissible capacity of 21 (including driver), the ubiquitous traffic police personnel did not seize it under law, or challan it for violating traffic norms.
Sources said while the driver was negotiating a sharp curve, he lost control over the steering-wheel as a result of which the vehicle fell into a deep roadside gorge at about 1.45 pm as a result of which 23 persons were killed and 24 others injured. Another report, however, put the number of injured at 16.
Difficulty in holding the steering-wheel by the driver as many commuters stood close to him was stated to be the reason behind the incident, the sources added.
Soon after the incident, police and locals started the rescue operation and lifted the injured to Ramban district hospital where 16 of them were pronounced brought dead by doctors.
When the condition of 12 of them did not show any sign of improvement, they were airlifted to GMC hospital here. While two of them succumbed to their wounds on the way, four others died in the hospital.
Sources said one more injured died late tonight, taking the death toll to 23.
Eighteen of the dead were identified as Vijay Singh, son of Yog Raj, Mohammad Rafiq, son of Gul Mohammad , Bashir Ahmed, son of Abdul Qayoom, all residents of Panthal, Gul Mohammad, son of Abdul Rehman of Chak Ramsoo, Nasir Ahmed, son of Alam Gir Daing of Neil, Mohammad Arif, son of Mohammad Sharif Manhas, Gulzara Begum, wife of Nazir Ahmed of Ramsoo, Ayjaz Ahmed, son of Abdul Hamid Sohil of Nakarko, Tariq Hussain, son of Mohammad Rafiq of Banihal, Narayan Singh, son of Sham Lal of Sujmatna, Nazir Ahmed, son of Mohammad Sharief of Bradgali Ramsoo, Ragvir Singh, son of Jagar Nath, Manoj Singh, son of Paras Ram, both residents of Suri Tali Majra, CRPF cop Suresh Kumar of Seri, Banihal, Rehmta Begum, wife of Saifudin, TA jawan Subash, son of Prem Nath of Chaba, Ramban, Altaf Ahmed, son of Jamal Din of Kharwan, and Javid Iqbal Malik, son of Mohammad Malik.
Five of the dead, including two women and a child, were yet to be identified.
Eighteen of the injured included Muzafar Ahmed, son of Abdul Qayoom, Sameena Begum, wife of Farooq Ahmed, both residents of Neil, Farooq Ahmed of Batro, BA Part III student Shabir Ahmed of Halwagan, Sanju, son of Chain Singh of Taili Majra, Shameema, wife of Farooq Ahmed of Bathroo, TA jawan Zakir Hussain of Neil, 4th class student Irshad Ahmed of Panthal, Abdul Latief, son of Hazam Din of Khooni Nala, Jabeen, daughter of Abdul Latief of Banihal, driver Farooq Ahmed, son of Ghulam Mohammad of Zamchose Neil, Charanjeet Singh, son of Tirath Singh of Panthal, Shabeena, daughter of Abdul Latief, Abdul Latief, son of Azam Din, Farooq Ahmed, son of Ghulam Mohammad of Dharkund, Anjna Devi, wife of Kishore Singh of Banihal, Sewa Singh, and Satya Devi, wife of Narayan Singh of Sujmatna Kote.
The other injured were yet to be identified. In another road mishap, a minor boy was crushed to death by a speeding TATA Sumo (6740/JK02AC) at Qasim Nagar this morning. The dead was identified as Vishal Gill, son of Ram Kumar Gill of Qasim Nagra. |
