Rajouri/Jammu: Three passengers were killed and 16 others injured on Monday when a mini bus skidded off the road and plunged into a 300-feet gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, officials said.
The accident took place around 11 am at Kainchi Morh when the driver of the mini bus on its way to Rajouri from Kotranka lost control while negotiating a blind curve, the officials said.
They said a rescue operation was launched immediately and 18 people were evacuated from the scene to the Government Medical College (GMC) associated hospital Rajouri, where three of them were declared dead.
Medical Superintendent Mehmood H Bajar said 15 of the injured were admitted to the hospital and efforts are on to save the lives of the critically injured patients.
The officials identified the deceased as Abdul Rashid (34), Mohd Shabir (40) and Mohd Azam (32).
The condition of five of the injured, including a four-year-old girl, was stated to be critical, they said.
A police official confirmed to GNS the accident and casualties and said that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up.
He identified the decreased as Abdul Rashid son of Chandia of Hubb Kandi,
Mohammad Hanif son of Qasam Din of Tulli and Mohammad Azam son of Ghulam Din of Draaj Budhal.
The injured have been identified as Jagdev Singh, his wife Kirna Devi, their son Jajant Singh, all residents of Budhal, Naseema Akhter, Saika Koser (4 years old), Showket Ali, Mohammad Kafeel, 15, Imtiaz Ahmed, Mahsooma Begum, Mohammad Altaf, Mohammad Younsi of Dhar Sakri, Vinod kumar, Hamida Begum, Abdul Aziz, Imtiaz Ahmed and Saida Koser of Hubbi.

KR Desk