Tragedy hit the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning, when a passenger bus slid off the bends of a hilly highway and crashed into the gorge below, resulting in the death of at least 15 passengers and wounding 20 more.
The mishap occurred close to Kanote village, where the bus was taking a turn from Ramnagar to Udhampur. Sources at the scene of the incident have confirmed that the bus was rounding a bend in a very steep section of the hilly area when it lost control.
The Fall
The bus slipped off the asphalt and fell from a distance of about 100 feet down into a rocky slope until it came to rest on a smaller road below, with the bus completely smashed by its fall.
“According to the witnesses, the bus had taken the bend at a faster pace, possibly because the steering got locked or maybe the driver could not judge the radius properly,” reported a local resident who reached the scene of the accident.
Rescue Operation: As soon as the accident took place, the locals rushed to the site to rescue the stranded passengers. SDRF and the local police soon came in their aid.
Casualties: Fifteen people died on the spot after the accident. These bodies have been transported to the District Hospital for autopsy purposes.
The Injured: Twenty people suffered injuries of varying degree in this accident. Out of these twenty injured people, ten patients are in critical state and have been airlifted to GMC, Jammu, for further medical treatment.
The authorities of the district extended their condolences to the families of the victims. The investigation will be conducted as to whether the accident was caused due to technical faults or any kind of human error. The prime minister and LG administration have announced ex-gratia relief to the bereaved families and the injured.
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