One devotee killed in bus accident on Jammu-Pathankot highway

Samba, Aug 21 (IANS) A tragic bus accident on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway claimed one life and left 40 others injured on Thursday morning near the Jatwal area of J&K's Samba district.

The incident occurred when a private passenger bus, ferrying devotees from Kathua to the sacred town of Katra, lost control after a reported tyre burst. The bus veered off the highway and plunged nearly 30 feet from a bridge near Jatwal, crashing into a dry canal bed below.

One pilgrim, identified as Iqwal Singh from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, died on the spot. Around 40 other passengers sustained injuries in the accident. Emergency services responded swiftly, and the injured were rushed to District Hospital Samba, where they received first aid. Doctors later referred eight critically injured passengers to AIIMS Vijaypur for treatment.

Police and administrative teams immediately reached the scene to carry out rescue and relief operations. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Eyewitnesses and survivors recounted moments of terror.

Rakesh, one of the survivors, shared, “We were travelling from Amroha (Uttar Pradesh) to Vaishno Devi. Most of us were asleep when the accident happened. Suddenly, we felt the bus lurch and fall. One of our friends died. Local people rushed to help, and the injured were taken to the hospital.”

Jaspal, another passenger, added, “There were around 65 people in the bus. I was with six of my family members. We were going to seek blessings at Vaishno Devi.”

This latest tragedy adds to a series of road mishaps in Jammu and Kashmir involving pilgrims and tourists.

On July 13, over ten Amarnath pilgrims were injured when three buses in a convoy collided near the Tachloo crossing in Kulgam district.

On May 6, four people, including a security personnel, died and 42 were injured when a private bus rolled into a gorge in Poonch district.

On March 23, three tourists lost their lives, and 14 were injured in a head-on collision between a car and a bus in Ganderbal district.

--IANS

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