Hans News Service Jammu

Twopersons, including a minor girl, were killed and 15 others injured after a passenger bus veered off a hilly road and plunged into a deep gorge in a remote area in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voiced grief over the incident, and assured all necessary assistance to the victims and their families.

The bus was travelling from Pechound to Ramnagar and the accident occurred at Gulli Gala at around 8 am, the officials said, adding the bus was reduced to a mangled heap of iron. Local village volunteers immediately launched a rescue operation following the accident and shifted 17 injured passengers to nearby Public Health Centre (PHC) Basantgarh.

After first aid, the injured were shifted to Ramnagar hospital, where a woman identified as Sunita Devi (24) and four-year-old Takshika succumbed to injuries, the officials said. They said 11 of the injured were referred to the Udhampur district hospital for specialised treatment as condition of most of them was stated to be critical.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Sunil Bhardwaj visited the Ramnagar hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured passengers. He voiced concern over the condition of the road where the accident occurred and emphasised the need for its upgradation to ensure safer travel for commuters. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening healthcare facilities in the constituency to ensure timely medical assistance and better treatment for people, particularly during emergencies.