J&K: At least 11 dead, many injured as bus falls into gorge in Poonch

JAMMU: Thirteen people, including four women and a minor, were killed and 36 others injured Saturday in two separate accidents in Poonch and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.In the first incident, a 42-seater passenger bus skidded off a road and rolled down into a 100m deep gorge at Plera in Mandi area of Poonch district, resulting in the death of 13 persons and injuring 17 others, a police officer said.The bus was coming from Loran to Poonch, and on reaching Plera. its driver lost control while negotiating a curve resulting in the accident, the officer said.Six persons died on the spot and five more succumbed to injuries while being evacuated, the officer said, adding that two more died at a local hospital.He said the condition of four of the injured persons was stated to be critical and are being airlifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu.In another accident, the officer said 19 passengers were injured, six of them critically, when a bus rolled down into gorge at Chilla Danga in Samba district.The critically injured persons were referred to the GMC hospital Jammu, he said.Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident in Poonch and wished speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee demanded an investigation into the frequent accidents in the mountainous belts.A special team of officials should be constituted to check the condition of old vehicles on roads, especially in the hilly and far-flung areas, the JKPCC said in a statement.It also demanded adequate compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured.