SRINAGAR: In a tragic road accident, six persons 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 in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday evening.
According to the official, the vehicle,which was travelling from Poonch towards Sheindhara, when the accident took place.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and it fell into the deep gorge.
Six persons travelling in the vehicle died on the spot while three others sustained injuries.
A rescue operation was launched by district administration with the involvement of local people.
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 said two of the critically injured identified as Mohammad Amin and Master Arsalan Ahmed, were referred to Government Medical College, Jammu for specialised treatment.
He said all possible medical care is being provided to the injured and necessary medical arrangements have been put in place.
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," a police official said.
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.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed pain over the loss of lives in the road accident. In a post on X, Office of LG J&K said: "Pained by the loss of lives in a tragic road accident in Poonch. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Have directed the District Administration to ensure immediate assistance is provided to those affected".
