Bus crash in Jammu kills 21, army rescues many
At least 21 passengers were killed, and 61 others were injured after an overcrowded passenger bus veered off the road and rolled down a steep hill in the Ramnagar area of Udhampur district in Jammu on Monday morning. The deceased included mostly those heading to their daily jobs, from Ramnagar to Udhampur.
“A bus en route from Ramnagar to Udhampur lost control while negotiating a hilly stretch, plunged down the slope, and crushed an auto-rickshaw upon landing upside down on the road below. Fifteen passengers were found dead at the scene, while four others later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma said.
An Army convoy passing along the hilly stretch led the rescue operation and saved many lives.
“I was leading the convoy when the accident occurred on the way. The vehicle fell from a height of nearly 100 metres. We immediately secured the area and launched the rescue operation, thus saving many precious lives, including those of men and women with great difficulty,” said a soldier who was leading a convoy from Udhampur to Ramnagar.
Officials said two more critically injured persons succumbed to their injuries at Udhampur District Hospital during treatment, raising the death toll to 21.
“Army personnel were the first to reach us, appearing like messiahs amid the chaos and confusion. They pulled us out of the wreckage. I had a miraculous escape — this feels nothing less than a second life for me,” said Neetu Rani (32) from her hospital bed.
Sharing an update, MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, in a post on X confirmed the death toll as well. Dr Singh posted, “21 casualties so far and 61 injured. The injured have been shifted to Udhampur Hospital, while the other, more seriously injured, is being airlifted to Government Medical College, Jammu. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. All possible assistance is being provided”.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident.
J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured. Omar also announced immediate relief from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for victims of the Udhampur road accident.
An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those seriously injured, and Rs 25,000 to persons who sustained minor injuries in the accident.
Nearly 3,700 people have died, and over 29,000 others were injured in more than 20,000 road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir since June 2022.
