Thirty-six people died and 19 others were injured after a bus fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Wednesday.
Quoting Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh, Union minister Jitendra Singh said that six passengers are seriously injured. The Anantnag MP added that the injured are being shifted to the Government Medical Colleges in Doda and Jammu, while those severely wounded are being airlifted.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said that the bus skidded off the road near Trungal-Assar area on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway and fell 300 feet, reported NDTV. The bus was carrying 55 passengers.
Officials said that a rescue operation is underway and some bodies have been retrieved, reported PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the families of those who died. He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
President Droupadi Murmu said that she was “deeply saddened” by the deaths, adding that she was praying for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that he was pained by the loss of lives. “My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and wishing for a speedy recovery of those injured in the accident,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Directed Divisional Commission and District Administration to provide all necessary assistance to affected persons.”
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