A tragic accident on Thursday claimed the lives of 22 people, including six children and eight women, when a bus carrying pilgrims to the Shiv Khori cave shrine in Reasi District, Jammu and Kashmir, plunged into a deep gorge. Fifty-seven others were injured.
The bus, which had departed from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, had reached the Tanda area of Akhnoor in Jammu via Kurukshetra in Haryana. It veered off the road while turning and tumbled 150 feet into the ravine at Tungi Morh near Chowki Chowra around 12:35 pm, officials reported.
Police and local residents rushed to the scene to evacuate the injured, who were initially taken to the Akhnoor sub-district hospital. Later, the army joined the rescue operation, and the injured were shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu.
Of the 15 deceased identified by late evening, six were from Hathras district and nine from Naya village in neighboring Aligarh district. Police are working to identify the remaining seven victims.
Expressing condolences for the lives lost in the “heart-rending ” incident, LG Manoj Sinha announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. He directed the administration to provide all possible support to the bereaved families and medical care to the injured.
PM, Narendra Modi also announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. In a message on the PMO India’s X handle, he stated: ” Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.”
Officials in Uttar Pradesh indicated that most of the passengers on the ill-fated bus were from Hathras and Aligarh districts. The administrations of these two districts are in contact with authorities in Jammu.
Hathras DM Archana Verma said a team had been dispatched to Jammu to assist the injured and update the district administration. Aligarh SDM Mahima Rajput noted that, according to officials, most victims were from Naya village, with 40 devotees from the village on the bus. However, “authentic” information from Jammu authorities is still awaited, she added.
The Jammu administration has set up helplines for assistance and inquiries regarding the bus tragedy. District magistrate, Sachin Kumar Vaishya shared the contact numbers on X: DM office (9622699666, 9419160547); SP office (9419172197, 9419194102, 9596869639); medical (9419190500, 9419190493).
The Hathras administration also provided two helpline numbers: (05722227041 and 05722227042), for assistance or information regarding the incident.
