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8 killed as Sumo rolls into Chenab in Thathri
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 11/26/2013 11:04:43 PM
KISHTWAR/DODA/GANDOH, Nov 26: With no let up in road mishaps in Chenab valley region, eight passengers were killed when a TATA Sumo in which they were travelling skidded off the road and plunged into the river Chenab at Kaligarh near Thathri, this afternoon.
Police reports said that the ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK06-2656 was on its way from Drabshalla to Thathri when the mishap occurred at Kuligarh, 4 kilometers short of Thathri in Kishtwar district. The driver of the ill-fated vehicle Rajinder Kumar failed to negotiate a sharp curve and the vehicle skidded off the road into river Chenab at 12.30 PM.
As soon as the accident took place, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Baseer Ahmed Khan along with SP Kishtwar Sanjay Kotwal rushed to the spot along with other senior officers of police and district administration and started rescue operation which was also joined by the troops of 8 Rashtriya Rifles. After hectic efforts, the rescuers recovered 5 bodies from the spot and shifted 3 critically injured persons to Trauma Hospital at Thathri where two among the three injured lost the battle for life while the third injured person died minutes before he was about to be airlifted.
One person identified as Sushil Kumar, 17, son of Kuldeep Kumar resident of Chalaso Saroor is still missing and efforts are on to recover him when last report came in.
Five persons were declared as brought dead by the doctors in the Thathri hospital while two other injured succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The seriously wounded person who was airlifted to GMC Jammu for specialised treatment has been declared as brought dead by doctors of GMC Jammu taking the death toll to eight.
The deceased have been identified as Kotwal Chand, 35, son of Tara Chand of Tippin Bonjwah, Dev Raj, 45, son of Jamit Raj, Abdul Kabir, 40, son of Abdul Aziz both residents of Banoon Bonjwah, Rajinder Kumar, 29, son of Jagdish Raj of Dugga Saroor, Kuldeep Kumar, 48, son of Munshi Ram, Tirath Ram, 25, son of Lakhmi Chand both residents of Chanasu Saror, Ashiq Hussain, 42, son of Abdul Ashiq Qazi of Thathri and Anil Kumar, 20, son of Kunj Lal of Bhaderwah.
While divulging details, DC Kishtwar Baseer Ahmed Khan confirmed the death of 8 persons in this tragic accident. He said that the vehicle was on its way from Drabshalla to Thatri when the driver of the vehicle failed to control it due to some mechanical fault. He said that after conducting all the legal formalities, the bodies were handed over to the family members for last rites. He said that Rs 10000 was given to each of the families of all the deceased persons out of Red Cross fund for performing last rites of the deceased. He said that relief cases of the deceased will be prepared in shortest possible time for final compensation given in accordance to law.
The ill fated vehicle completely submerged in river water.
One SPO Sandesh Kumar escaped unhurt as he jumped out of the vehicle before it rolled down into 300 meter deep gorge.
Meanwhile, several politicians including MLA Inder Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, JKPCC State Secretary Thakur Jughal Bhandari, PDP Senior Leader Talib Hussain, PDP Youth President Kishtwar Umar Malik, BJP senior leader Shakti Parihar, BJP National Youth Executive Member Sunil Sharma, JKNPP State secretary Anil Parihar, NCP State Secretary Ajaiz Naik, Social activist Shakir Siddiqui and several other expressed their grief and sorrow over the loss of life in this tragic accident and demanded an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakhs in favour of next of kin of the deceased.
Various Social and Political organizations of Doda and Kishtwar district including R&B Minister Abdul Majid Wani, MLC Khalid Najeed Suharwardy, Ex MLC Mohammad Iqbal Bhat (Bhallesvi), President Doda Welfare Society Mohammad Iqbal Balwan and other civil society members also expressed their grief and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives in Thathri road accident.