Jammu: Officials reported that at least 16 people lost their lives and 19 others were injured on Monday when a passenger bus plunged down a hillside in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The accident occurred at about 10 a.m. as the bus was navigating a blind curve near Kagort village in the Ram Nagar area.
Local residents were the first to arrive at the scene and initiate rescue efforts, extracting the injured from the debris. Police and other emergency services soon joined the operation to evacuate the victims and secure the area.
Officials said that 15 bodies were recovered from the vehicle’s wreckage, while 20 injured people were taken to hospital, with many reported to be in serious condition. They said the bus was on way to Udhampur from a remote village when the accident took place.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh spoke with Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa after the accident and stated that arrangements are underway to airlift the critically injured victims.
I have just spoken with DC Udhampur, Minga Sherpa, after receiving information about a tragic road accident that occurred less than an hour ago in village Kanote, involving a public transport bus traveling from Ramnagar to Udhampur.The rescue operation was launched without delay, and significant casualties are anticipated. Every possible form of assistance is being extended, and the injured will be transported for medical treatment. Plans are also underway to airlift those who are critically hurt, the minister stated in a post on X.
Singh stated that he remains in regular contact with the local administration and the team of BJP workers participating in the rescue operation.