At least 36 passengers died and 19 others were injured when a bus they were traveling in skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in the Chenab Valley’s Doda district on Wednesday.
The tragic accident occurred near Assar village on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway when the bus veered off the road and rolled down 300 feet into the Chenab Valley gorge.
CCTV footage shows the bus, bearing registration number JK02CN-6555, crossing a checkpoint minutes before the incident around 8:30 am.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the bus kept crashing into boulders as it hurtled down the steep slope, badly damaging the vehicle. Locals rushed to help pull out survivors from the mangled remains.
Union minister Jitendra Singh informed on X that five people were killed and the injured are being shifted to District Hospital in Kishtwar and Government Medical College in Doda.
He also said that he spoke to Doda District Commissioner Harvinder Singh and took stock of the situation.
Helicopter service is being arranged to shift more injured, he added.
“Just now spoke to DC #Doda, J&K, Sh Harvinder Singh after receiving information about the bus accident in Assar region. Unfortunately, 5 are dead. Injured being shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar and GMC Doda as per requirement,” Singh said in a post on X.
“Helicopter service to be arranged for shifting the more injured ones. All possible help, as required being provided. I am in constant touch,” he added.
Most of the 36 deceased were reportedly men and women passengers. Rescue teams are still scanning the accident site and gorge to retrieve bodies and look for survivors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow at the loss of lives and prayed for the recovery of the injured. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured people.
This is the second major road accident in the Doda district over the past week. Further investigation will ascertain the reasons behind the bus skidding off the highway.
