Jammu & Kashmir: At least 13 dead, several injured after mini bus falls in Chenab River

At 13 persons died and several injured after a mini passenger bus fell in Chenab River in Kishtwar district. The accident occurred at Dandaran, near Thakrai, on Friday morning.

SRINAGAR: At least 13 persons died and several were left injured after a mini passenger bus fell in Chenab River in Kishtwar district.

The accident occurred at Dandaran, near Thakrai, on Friday morning. 

The bus was on its way to  Kishtwar from the Keshwan area. The driver lost control and the vehicle plunged into the over-300-foot gorge, near the Chenab riverbed.

Police, with the help of local administration, started the rescue operations, which are still underway.

"So far, 13 persons are confirmed dead and 13 others injured," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kishtwar Rajinder Gupta, who is leading the rescue operation, told PTI.

#JammuAndKashmir: Death toll in Kishtwar matador van accident rises to 11; 13 people injured, rescue operation underway pic.twitter.com/S6ALJMTbGl

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The bus was carrying over 30 passengers, he said.

Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana said the district administration was making efforts to airlift eight critically-injured passengers to Jammu.

"The next of the kin of the deceased will be given an ex gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh each, while Rs 50,000 will be given to each of the injured persons," Rana said.

This is the third major accident in Kishtwar district in the last one month.

While 13 Machail Yatra devotees were killed when their cab plunged into a gorge on August 21, seven persons were killed and 12 others injured when two vehicles were hit by boulders a day earlier. 

With Agency Inputs