Two persons died while 26 others were injured after the minibus they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near
Bhatiyas
in Jammu and Kashmir’s
Doda
district Saturday.
Officials said the mishap took place around 10.30am when the minibus was heading to Thathri from Bhalessa. Rescue personnel found one woman dead at the
accident
spot while another succumbed during treatment at a hospital.
“There were 28 passengers in the minibus, including two small children seated on their parents’ laps. Two persons died,” said Doda deputy commissioner Harvinder Singh, who was present at the spot. “Among the 26 injured, 15 were shifted from SDH Gandoh to Doda GMC, while the rest were discharged after first aid. Four of those hospitalised are critical, with one of them being shifted to Jammu GMC for advanced treatment,” he added.
A malfunction in the minibus may have led to the accident, Singh said, adding that a probe committee comprising Doda ARTO and DySP (Traffic) were investigating the matter. “This isn’t an accident-prone road. The scratches on the road indicate that the driver tried his best to avoid the accident but in vain. Unfortunately, the minibus stopped near the edge and rolled down,” Singh said.
Condoling the tragedy, Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said in an X post that all possible help would be provided to those affected, adding that he was in constant touch with authorities.
