Four Kerala tourists killed in Zoji La road accident

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, December 5

Four tourists and a driver died and three others were injured in a road accident on the Srinagar-Leh highway near Zoji La Pass on Tuesday. The incident occurred when a vehicle carrying eight passengers from Kerala, along with the local driver, Ajaz Ahmad Awan, skidded off the road, plummeting into a deep gorge. One of the injured is currently in a critical condition, according to official sources. Local residents, along with the Sonamarg police, swiftly conducted a rescue operation at the accident site. The victims were immediately transported to a private hospital for medical attention. Apart from driver Ajaz Ahmad Awan, the other deceased have been identified as Sudesh, Anil, Rahul and Vignesh.

This not the first time such an incident has occurred in the region. In May, two vehicles faced a similar fate after an avalanche struck Zoji La Pass.

The latest accident transpired near Panimatha Captain Mode at Zojil Pass. Emergency response teams promptly arrived at the scene.

Last month, another fatal incident occurred in Jammu and Kashmir where a bus fell into a gorge near Doda, resulting in the death of at least 36 people out of the 55 passengers on board. The bus was en route to Kishtwar at the time of the accident. (With inputs)