J&K: Teen dies after ambulance stuck in mud for hours in Rajouri
A 17-year-old girl died after the vehicle carrying her to hospital got stuck in mud for hours on a road in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, prompting authorities to suspend a government official and order an inquiry.
The road had been damaged by a mudslide triggered by heavy rain. The official responsible for it had reportedly informed authorities that it was open.
On Friday, the girl, from remote Methyani village, fell seriously ill and was being taken to Government Medical College (GMC), Rajouri, when the vehicle got stranded for nearly three hours due to a mudslide at Chak Methyani. Volunteers managed to pull it out, but her condition deteriorated and she died on the way to hospital, officials said.
The Chak Methyani-Panglar-Kotecharwal road, the only link connecting several remote villages in the area, was washed away near Methyani during last year's monsoon and restored temporarily. The same stretch was hit by a mudslide around two weeks ago, rendering the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) road unmotorable.
The incident triggered public anger, with locals accusing PMGSY authorities of negligence for failing to restore the road despite repeated pleas, after a video of the incident went viral.
The district administration had earlier stated that the Executive Engineer, PMGSY Division Rajouri, informed it through an official WhatsApp group that the road was trafficable. However, verification by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Kotranka, found otherwise.
According to the ADC's report, the girl had been ill for nearly a month and was earlier admitted to GMC Jammu. Discharged around two weeks ago, her condition deteriorated again, prompting her family to take her to GMC Rajouri, but the blocked road caused a delay of two to three hours. The road remained in poor condition due to landslides and deep ditches, making it unfit for vehicles, the report said, adding that residents of Narla Bamble, Kotecharwal and Panglar continue to face difficulties transporting patients, foodgrains and fertilisers.
Taking serious note of the report, District Development Commissioner (DDC) Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, ordered the immediate suspension of the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), PMGSY Sub-Division Kalakote, who was in charge of the road project, citing prima facie negligence.
The DDC also directed the Executive Engineer, PMGSY Division Rajouri, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for allegedly misreporting the road's status, and withheld his salary pending his response.
The Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC), Rajouri, has been directed to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report within seven days.
