Gurpreet Singh :- At least 10 people lost their lives and several others sustained serious injuries after a passenger bus overturned near Kaghote on the Ramnagar-Udhampur highway in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. The tragic accident has once again raised concerns over road safety in hilly terrains.
Rescue operations were launched immediately after the incident, with local authorities and emergency teams rushing to the spot. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while officials fear the death toll may rise as some victims remain in critical condition.
According to preliminary reports, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, causing the bus to skid off the road and overturn. Eyewitnesses suggested that overspeeding could have been a contributing factor in the mishap.
Senior officials, including the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the site soon after receiving information about the accident and directed that immediate medical assistance be provided to the injured. The Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Udhampur has also been put on alert to handle emergency cases.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and spoke to Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa to assess the situation. He assured that all possible assistance is being extended to the injured and that arrangements are being made for airlifting critically injured patients if required.
Notably, this incident comes a day after another road accident in Rajouri district, where a tempo traveller overturned on the Darhal-Rajouri road, leaving 18 people injured, four of them critically.
Police and administrative authorities are currently engaged in relief operations, and an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
