J&K: 36 dead, many injured as bus plunges into gorge
At least 36 passengers reportedly died after the bus they were traveling in veered off the road and fell into a deep slope in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday. Reports said the death toll could rise further. The bus going from Kishtwar to Jammu was ferrying 55 passengers, and the accident took place near Assar's Trungal area, per Hindustan Times.
PM Modi announces ex gratia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those deceased in the bus accident. He announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs. 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The injured were shifted to Doda's Government Medical College (GMC) and Kishtwar's District Hospital; many are reportedly critical.
Injured receiving treatment at Doda, Kishtwar District Hospital
6 critical, helicopters to be arranged for shifting them
Union minister Jitendra Singh said 19 people were injured, of which six were critical. He added that helicopters would be arranged to shift those critically injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condoled with the bereaved families.
11 died in bus accident in Doda in 2021
To recall, in a similar incident in 2021, a minibus traveling from Thathri to Doda town fell into a gorge, killing 11 people and injuring 14 others. The Prime Minister's Office had announced similar ex gratia to those affected. Separately, at least 10 people were injured on Sunday when their speeding SUV met with an accident at Bandi Chechian village in J&K's Poonch district.
