Jammu, Oct 21: A woman and a six-year-old girl were killed and 15 others injured after a passenger bus skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The accident occurred at Gulli Gala around 8 am when the bus, travelling from Pechound to Ramnagar, fell into the gorge and was reduced to a mangled heap of iron.
Local village volunteers immediately launched a rescue operation and shifted 17 injured passengers to the Public Health Centre (PHC) at Basantgarh. After receiving first aid, the injured were taken to Ramnagar hospital, where a woman and a six-year-old girl succumbed to their injuries, officials said.
The condition of six other injured passengers was stated to be critical, and they were referred to Udhampur district hospital for specialised treatment.
Senior BJP leader and MLA Sunil Bhardwaj visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the injured passengers. He expressed concern over the condition of the road where the accident occurred and stressed the need for its upgradation to ensure safer travel for commuters.
Bhardwaj also underscored the need to strengthen healthcare facilities in the constituency to ensure timely medical assistance and better treatment, particularly during emergencies.
Earlier, Union Minister Jitendra Singh spoke to Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Ananth Dwivedi after receiving information about the accident. He said all necessary assistance was being provided and that his office was in constant touch with the district administration. (Agencies)