11 killed as vehicle falls into gorge

Tribune News Service
Jammu, March 16

At least 11 persons, including four women and five children, were killed on Saturday and four injured when a Tata Sumo vehicle rolled down into a gorge in Ramban district.

The Tata Sumo vehicle was on the way to Rajgarh from Chanderkote when it met with an accident. The vehicle, having a capacity of seven, was carrying 15 passengers when it rolled down into the 150-foot gorge at the Kunda nullah near the Baglihar power house around 10.30 am.

A police official said three critically injured persons, including the driver, were airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, in two air sorties, while a 10-year-old child who was being airlifted to the hospital succumbed at the helipad.

The deceased were identified as Urmila Devi (32), Pari (2), Romal Din (61), Mohammad Mubeen (23), Rubeena Begum (30), Babli Devi (37), Hassan Bibi (40), Immana Bano (13), Arjun Singh (9), Kunal (10) and three-month-old Zakir Hussain.

The injured were identified as Kishore Kumar (22), Mohd Akram (30), driver Sanjay Kumar (20), and Misra Begum (36).

The official said locals and road users raised the alarm and informed the police which, with the help of local people, immediately launched a rescue operation and retrieved the bodies and rescued the injured from the gorge.

“At least six passengers were found dead on the spot, while five others succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to the hospital. The allowed capacity for a Tata Sumo operating in hilly roads is seven passengers, but the driver had violated the condition,” the official added.

Locals alleged that the road, being constructed under the PMGSY scheme, was in a dilapidated condition due to recent rain and snowfall. “The vehicle was moving over a soil mound. It reversed and fell into the gorge,” eyewitnesses said.