J P Singh
Poonch, August 26 : In a tragic road accident, six people were killed and three others injured after a vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge at Sheindhara in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district on Wednesday evening.
According to the District Administration, the vehicle was travelling from Poonch towards Sheindhara when the accident took place. The vehicle reportedly went out of control and fell into the deep gorge. Six occupants died on the spot, while three others sustained injuries.
Soon after the accident, a rescue operation was launched with the involvement of local people and authorities. The injured were evacuated from the accident site and shifted to a health facility for immediate medical attention.
The deceased have been identified as Zulfat Bi, 30, wife of Mohd Amin; Masarat Naz, 19, wife of Azkar Ahmed; Mohd Fareed, 20, son of Mohd Rashid; Mohd Shafiq, 32, son of Mohd Shafi; Nazakat Hussain, 32, son of Mohd Sharief; and Zahoor Ahmed, 23, son of Shamas Din. All six deceased were residents of Village Seri Chohana.
The injured have been identified as Tahir, 22, son of Mohd Farooq; Mohd Amin, 24, son of Ghulam Hussain; and 11-year-old Master Arsalan Ahmed (Mohd Aslan), son of Mohd Sharief, all residents of Seri Chohana.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Poonch, Dr. Parvaiz Ahmed Khan, confirmed that two of the injured, Mohd Amin and Master Arsalan Ahmed, were referred to Government Medical College, Jammu, considering their critical condition. The third injured person is undergoing treatment at the local health facility.
Dr. Parvaiz Ahmed Khan said that all possible medical care is being provided to the injured and necessary medical arrangements have been put in place.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma, JKAS, along with Additional Deputy Commissioner Poonch Tahir Mustafa Malik, KAS, immediately visited the hospital after receiving information about the accident. They reviewed the condition of the injured and interacted with the medical staff.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the Health Department to provide the best available treatment to the injured without any delay. He also instructed the concerned officials to extend all necessary support and assistance to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident.
Police have taken cognizance of the incident and initiated necessary proceedings. Medico-legal formalities are being completed, while further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact circumstances and cause of the accident.
The tragic incident has cast a pall of gloom over Seri Chohana and surrounding areas, with the loss of six lives in the accident leaving the families and local community in deep shock.
The District Administration Poonch expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The administration also assured that all possible assistance would be extended to the affected families and the injured.
The administration has appealed to people travelling on hilly and accident-prone stretches to exercise extreme caution, avoid overspeeding and follow all road-safety precautions to prevent such tragedies.
