At least two people were killed and five others sustained injuries, when a Tata Sumo skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge in Jammu And Kashmir's Rajouri district on Friday, news agency PTI reported, citing officials. The accident occurred on Shahdra Sharif road in Thanamandi area, they said. The injured have been hospitalised.
Earlier on Wednesday, at least 36 people were killed while 19 others have been wounded with six seriously injured after a bus plunged into a deep gorge in the Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district. The bus was on its way to Jammu from Kishtwar when the accident took place.
Union minister Jitendra Singh took to X and informed that five people were killed and the injured are being shifted to District Hospital in Kishtwar and Government Medical College in Doda. He also said that he spoke to Doda District Commissioner Harvinder Singh and took stock of the situation.
Helicopter service is being arranged to shift more injured, he added."Just now spoke to DC #Doda, J&K, Sh Harvinder Singh after receiving information about the bus accident in Assar region. Unfortunately 5 are dead. Injured being shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar and GMC Doda as per requirement," Singh said in a post on X.
According to the officials, a rescue operation was launched after the accident occurred and some bodies were retrieved. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted after the incident and expressed his sorrow at the loss of lives and prayed for the recovery of the injured. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured people.