Jammu, August 23
As many as 16 persons were killed and 35 were injured when their bus rolled into a 250-feet deep gorge in the border district of Rajouri today.
Among the killed were three women and the driver of the bus, Baldev Raj.
Nine persons died on the spot and seven others succumbed to their injuries while being taken to a hospital. Fourteen seriously injured were airlifted to the medical college and hospital here for treatment.
The mishap occurred this morning when the bus was on its way to the district headquarters at Rajouri from Darhal. The driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve, preliminary investigations indicated.
Incidentally, at the same spot near the Sainganj shrine a passenger bus had met with an accident about six months ago, killing 53 person.
Residents of the nearby villages rushed to rescue the injured even before the police and the local authorities reached the spot.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad flew to the accident spot and announced relief to the next of the kin of those killed and also for the injured persons.
He ordered the authorities to take immediate steps to prevent such accidents on the roads.
