JAMMU: Three schoolchildren were killed while one more was missing after a dumper they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district on Tuesday, police said.
The driver and three other students were critically injured in the accident that took place on the Karol-Kundi link road near Jaishwal bridge, a police official said.
He said the driver of the dumper, which was on its way to Kundi village, had given a lift to the children, including two of his own, who were returning from school.
The vehicle rolled down over 400-ft before submerging in the river, the official said.
The officials said a rescue operation was launched immediately and seven of the eight people travelling in the vehicle were taken to a hospital, where three students -- Manjit Singh (7), Pooja Devi (15) and driver Manmohan Singh's son Gaurav Singh -- succumbed to injuries.
Ajay Singh (17), another son of the driver, is missing and feared drowned in the river, they said, adding that the rescue operation was on to find the boy.
The driver and two other students, Sahtrupa (10) and Kamlesha Kumari (15), are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, while Jyoti Devi (14), who was critically injured, was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, for specialised treatment.
In another incident on Monday, the driver of a dumper was killed when his vehicle plunged into a gorge in Doda district, the police official said.
The incident took place at Galginder on the Bhaderwah-Doda road.
The deceased was identified as Bittu, a resident of Bareru village, he said.