Jammu, Aug 30: A 16-year-old girl was among eight people killed while three others were injured when a taxi cab—Tata sumo— they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Kishtwar district on Tuesday, officials said.
They said that the accident took place near Bunda Chatroo Changa when the driver of the vehicle (JK03B-9117), a private taxi, lost control over it. Five people died on the spot while three others succumbed while being evacuated, they said. Three others were shifted to hospital by rescuers including locals, police and army, they said.
A senior police officer confirmed the casualties and identified the dead as Noor Hussain (35), Mohammad Akhbar (28), Mohammad Shareef (25), Fareed Hussain (driver, 27), Nazir Ahmad (27), Bashir Ahmad (35), Fareed Hussain (25) and Nusrat Khatoon (16), all residents of Bunda. “All of them had head injuries,” the officer said. The injured have been hospitalized, he said. They have been identified as Manzoor Ahmad (25), Khatoon wife (25) wife of Fareed Ahmadand Akhtar Hussain (30).
The officer said that a case has been registered with regard to it.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Governor Mano Sinha said that he was “extremely pained” at the loss of lives in the accident.
“Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic road accident in Kishtwar. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of injured,” Sinha said in a tweet. “Directed district administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured,” he added.
