The town of Akhnoor in Jammu witnessed a horrific tragedy when a bus carrying pilgrims skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge, resulting in the death of at least 22 individuals and leaving 69 others injured. The incident took place at the Tungi-Morh in the Chowki Chora belt of the district, where the bus plunged around 150 feet into the gorge. The bus was on its way to Shiv Khori in the Pouni area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, carrying devotees from Haryana’s Kurukshetra. It started its journey from Uttar Pradesh.
The victims were primarily from Uttar Pradesh, and most of the deceased were shifted to the Akhnoor sub-district hospital, while the injured were taken to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu. A large-scale rescue operation involving the Army, police, and locals was undertaken, with ropes and human chains used to carry the bodies and injured uphill. The injured, including six in critical condition, were provided immediate treatment at the Akhnoor hospital before being transferred to GMC hospital in Jammu.
Eyewitnesses and injured passengers reported that the accident occurred as the driver was unable to negotiate a blind curve while a speeding car approached from the opposite direction. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, with PM Modi announcing ex-gratia compensation for the victims’ families. The LG also assured that all necessary support would be provided to the affected families.
This tragic incident is the largest accident in the region since a similar one occurred in Doda in 2023. The President, Prime Minister, and LG efforts to provide assistance and support to the affected families have been evident, highlighting the need for better road safety measures and transportation regulations to avoid such unfortunate events in the future.
