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Jammu & Kashmir: Tragedy strikes after a bus travelling from Kishtwar to Jammu skidded off the road and falls around 250 meters down a steep slope near Trungal in the Assar area of the Doda district. Over 30 passengers were reported to be dead and and dozens others injured.
primarily reports said that a passenger bus fell off a Trungal bridge in Bagar Ramgarh. The incident happened in the Assar area of Doda district on Wednesday morning.
Police accompanied with rescue teams with the help of local authorities, rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations and assess the extent of the tragedy. Preliminary reports from the Police Control Room in Doda suggest that the death toll could be as high as 20 or even more.
The bus bearing registration number JK02CN-6555 was reportedly 40 passengers onboard, officials said, adding that it skidded off the road near Trungal-Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway and fell 300 feet downhill.
“A passenger bus, on its way from Kishtwar to Jammu, slipped off the roads and plunges down 250 meters on another road near Trungal in the Assar area of Doda district. Many passengers are feared dead,” said a police officer at police control room Doda.
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, expressed grief over the bereaved families.
“Extremely pained by the loss of lives in a tragic bus accident in Assar, Doda. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families & wishing for a speedy recovery of those injured in the accident. Directed Div Com & Dist Admin to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons,” Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor said.
This is the second major bus mishap in Doda district in a week.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the unfortunate death of several passengers in a bus accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. I express my condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter).
The Prime Minister’s office said, “The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest.”
The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs.…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 15, 2023
It added that the Prime Minister has said that a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each would be given to the families of those killed in the accident. Those injured will receive an assistance of ₹ 50,000.
