38 killed, 15 hurt in horrifying bus crash in Jammu and Kashmir || ENGLISH || GOA365

As many as 38 peoplehave been killed after a bus carrying 52passengers plunged around 200 meters down a steep slope near the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. While rescue operations are underway, the prime minister has announced financial assistance to the injured and kin of the deceased. Here’s more on the story.

The bus, carrying over 55 passengers, skidded off the road near Trungal-Assar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway and fell 300 feet downhill, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said. A rescue operation has been launched and some bodies have been retrieved, he said and added the injured have been shifted to nearby health facilities for immediate treatment

The Prime Minister has said that a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each would be given to the families of those killed in the accident. Those injured will receive assistance of ₹ 50,000.

In December last year the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had directed the government to constitute a committee of experts to ascertain reasons for repeated accidents in the hilly region of Doda-Kishtwar, also known as Chenab Valley. Frequent accidents on “killer” roads of Chenab Valley have snatched hundreds of lives over the last one decade and hardly a week passes without any tragic news of the accident. However, despite High Court directions, the government agencies have failed to take any concrete measures to check the mishaps.