Prem Nagar (Doda), June 7
As many as 20 passengers were feared dead and five others injured when a mini bus rolled down into the Chenab at Prem Nagar on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway this morning.
The ill-fated mini bus was on its way to Thathri from Doda when the accident took place. Five passengers had a miraculous escape when they fell out of the mini bus as it rolled down into the river.
Though a rescue operation has been launched on “war footing”, not even a single body has been recovered so far due to strong flow of the water in the Chenab.
SSP National Highway Alok Kumar, who was supervising the rescue operation at the accident site, said the driver of the ill-fated mini bus had lost control of the vehicle. “We have no idea bout the casualty as yet as exact numbers of the passengers are not known,” Alok said. However, he made it clear that the mini bus was not overloaded.
Talib Hussain, an eyewitness, told the Tribune that the driver of the vehicle lost control while passing through the narrow stretch on the road.
“As there was no barricade on the side of the highway, the mini bus rolled down into the river within no time,” he said. Before the police reached the spot, locals immediately swung into the action and started the rescue operation.
The injured — Puran Chand, conductor of the mini bus, Nasima Begum, Vipan Kumar, Muskan and Farooq Ahmed, were immediately taken to the Thatri Hospital. The conductor told the police that the vehicle was under load.
