2 killed, 21 injured in Rajouri road accident

Two people were killed and 21 others injured when a passenger vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in the Moghla area of Rajouri district on Friday evening.

The accident took place at around 6 pm within the jurisdiction of Triyath Police Post, involving a passenger vehicle bearing registration number JK20C-8295.

According to preliminary information, the occupants of the vehicle were returning after visiting Marchola village to offer condolences following a death when the vehicle met with the accident.

Soon after the incident, locals and police personnel launched a rescue operation and shifted the injured to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Moghla for treatment.

According to medical records at PHC Moghla, Balbir Singh (45), son of Suram Singh, and Pritam Singh, son of Sant Ram, both residents of Moghla, were brought dead to the hospital.

The 21 injured include men, women and elderly persons. They have been identified as Kaushal Singh (23), son of Rattan Singh; Joginder Singh (80), son of Tirath Singh; Ambika Sharma (45), daughter of Gidish Kumar; Kaushalya Devi (65), wife of Tirath Singh; Babli Devi (30), wife of Tara Singh; Kamal Singh (55), son of Bhim Singh; Digpal Singh (50), son of Sansar Singh; Sanjay Kumar (30), son of Mool Raj, resident of Thalka; Rano Devi (61), wife of Bihari Lal; Shardi Devi (60), wife of Sajib Singh; Darshana Devi (35), wife of Deepo Singh; Sudesh Kumar (50), son of Karnail Singh; Satya Devi (70), wife of Tarlok Singh, resident of Badhog; Bindo Devi (35), wife of Joginder Singh; Satvir Singh (60); Parvez Singh (65), son of Chander Singh; Bimla Devi (60), wife of Hari Singh; Neelam Devi (40), wife of Rakesh Singh; Joginder Singh (45), son of Janak Singh; Sundar Singh (60), son of Dilip Singh; and Sanyogita Kumari (55), wife of Sundar Singh. Most of the injured are residents of Moghla.

Kalakote-Sunderbani MLA Thakur Randhir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kalakote Mohammad Tanveer and Block Medical Officer Kalakote Dr Iqbal Malik visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured. They also reviewed the medical facilities being provided to them.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tanveer said some of the injured, whose condition was serious, had been referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri and Narayana Hospital in Katra for specialised treatment. Treatment of the remaining injured is underway.

Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.