21 die, 57 injured as bus veers off road in Udhampur

JAMMU
At least 21 people died and 57 others injured, some of them critically when a passenger bus skidded off a hilly road and fell on a lower road in Udhampur district on Monday morning.
The incident occurred around 10 AM at Khagote.
A senior police official said that the bus was on its way from Ramnagar to Udhampur when it met with the accident.
“It seems the driver lost control over steering and the vehicle rolled down a steep slope and fell on a lower road. It also hit an auto-rickshaw that was moving on the lower road. Around 7 passengers on the auto-rickshaw including a government teacher also suffered injuries with the impact of the bus,” he said.
DIG Udhampur Shiv Kumar Sharma, SSP Amritpal Singh and Udhampur DC Minga Sherpa reached the spot to oversee the rescue and relief operations.
LG Manoj Singh and chief minister Omar Abdullah have expressed grief over the accident.
“Tragic road accident in Udhampur is heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to bereaved families. May God grant them strength. Praying for speedy recovery of injured. I have directed district admin, Police, SDRF & Health Dept to provide every possible assistance to those affected,” said J&K LG Manoj Sinha in a message.
Chief Minister has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic road accident involving a passenger bus travelling from Ramnagar to Udhampur. He extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The Chief Minister affirmed that the government stands firmly with the victims and their families in this hour of grief, and that all necessary assistance is being extended, said an official spokesperson.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, expressed pain and grief over the loss of 21 lives in a bus accident in Udhampur and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured.

 “Pained to hear about the loss of lives due to a bus accident in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. I extend my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their near and dear ones.

“I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the tragic mishap. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” Modi said in a post on X.