At least 35 people were killed and 17 were severely injured after a bus carrying passengers fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Monday, July 1. The bus was going from Keshwan to Kishtwar when the accident took place, according to reports.
Rescue teams have been dispatched to the site of the incident. Locals and authorities are on the spot to help with the rescue operations. The injured have been rushed to a district hospital in Kishtwar, around 230 km from Jammu. The death toll may rise even further.
The Indian Army is providing immediate assistance and medical aid to the passengers of the overloaded bus. Check out the visuals here:
According to several reports, the minibus bearing registration number JK17-6787 skidded off the road near Srigwari and fell into a deep gorge. The accident took place at around 7.50 am.
Angrez Singh Rana, Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, said that many people have been injured after a matador vehicle coming from Keshwan to Kishtwar fell into a gorge.
Expressing condolences, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: "Extremely saddened to learn about the loss of lives due to a road accident in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones. I pray of the speedy recovery of those injured."
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to express condolences to the families of the deceased. "Terrible news coming in about the high death toll in a bus accident in Kishtwar. Condolences to the families of the deceased & prayers for the swift recovery of the injured," tweeted Abdullah.
