Seven persons Friday were killed in two separate accidents at Jhajjarkotli on Srinagar Jammu National Highway and near Kandni area of Kishtwar.
Four persons lost their lives in Jhajjar Kotli accident in the morning while three persons died in Kishtwar accident.
Police sources said at around 2.30 am on Friday, a Jammu-bound apple-laden truck met with an accident in Jhajjar Kotli, an area of Jammu on the Srinagar Jammu National Highway, resulting in the death of four persons, including the driver and his helper, on the spot.
Giving details, a Police official of Jhajjar Kotli Police Station said, “A truck, bearing registration number RJ13GB-5654, lost control, collided with the bridge divider and subsequently rolled down from the bridge onto the road along old alignment of Srinagar Jammu National Highway, from a height of around 80 to 100 feet.”
He said, “Soon after the accident, a team from Police Station Jhajjar Kotli reached the spot and started a rescue operation. Initially joint rescue teams, after hectic efforts, retrieved two bodies trapped in badly mangled vehicle. Later two more bodies were recovered by the rescue teams from the accident site.”
He said that all four bodies were shifted to the mortuary of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for identification.
Police officials said that the families of the driver and co-driver were contacted through their counterparts in Rajasthan and they were on their way to Jammu.
“Once they reach here and establish their identity, it will be shared. The identity and contacts of other two persons remain untraced so far,” they added.
Meanwhile, in another accident on Doda-Kishtwar Highway, three persons lost their lives after a car in which they were travelling from Kishtwar to Thathri skidded off the road and fell into river Chenab in Kandni area.
Police said, “A car (Alto), bearing registration number JK06B-1909, was on its way to Thathri from Kishtwar. Seemingly, the speeding car rolled down, about 40-50 meters from the main road near Kandni, into a gorge.”
On getting information, the rescue teams of police, local volunteers, and NGOs rushed to the spot and launched a joint rescue operation on the embankments of river Chenab at Kandni.
They said two bodies and one injured were retrieved from the gorge.
Police said, “Madan Lal, 40, son of Roop Lal, resident of Kanwar Thara Saroor and Dhyan Singh, son of Both Raj, resident of Gandoh died on the spot whereas Rakesh Kumar, 45, son of Shib Ram, resident of Badanoo Thathri succumbed while being shifting to District Hospital Kishtwar.”
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Devansh Yadav, while speaking to media, said, “An unfortunate road accident was reported near Kandni on NH 244 in which a car, crossing a crash barrier, rolled down on the banks of river Chenab. Three persons sustained critical head injuries and died on spot.”
He said, “They were returning to their respective homes after attending a marriage function in Kishtwar. An interim relief from revenue and district Red Cross fund was provided to the families of the deceased.”
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal confirmed the incident and said, “Two persons died on the spot whereas one was declared dead by the doctors at District Hospital.”
SSP said that after conducting postmortem and other legal formalities, the bodies of all three deceased were handed over to their respective families for last rites. He said a case under relevant sections of law was registered at Police Station Kishtwar for investigations.
The Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh condoled the loss of lives in Kishtwar accident. “Just now spoke to DC #Kishtwar Dr Devansh Yadav, soon after receiving the report about the unfortunate car accident in Kandini region in which 3 persons died as the car rolled down into river Chenab. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. All possible assistance is being provided by the district administration. I’m in constant touch,” he psoted on X.
A Timeline : Major accidents along highway
May 30, 2023: 10 killed, over 60 injured in Jhajjar Kotli accident
May 29, 2023: 4 persons, including a doctor, were killed on Batote-Kishtwar stretch of National Highway in Doda district.
May 24, 2023: 7 workers of Pakul Dul hydel power project were killed in Kishtwar.
Sep 27, 2023: 2 police personnel killed as a police vehicle plunged into a gorge on Rajgarh road in Ramban.
Oct 7, 2023: 3 killed in accident at Hambal Marmat, in Doda
