Two missing, 7 rescued after vehicle falls into river in J-K’s Poonch

At least two persons went missing while seven others were rescued after a passenger vehicle plunged into a river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday evening.

Police said the taxi was going from Poonch town to Surankote when it went out of the driver’s control at Kalai Bridge and plunged into the river around 8.30 PM.

Led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Poonch, Shafqat Hussain, a rescue operation was started immediately after the mishap.

Seven people, including four women, were rescued. They were taken to the hospital for treatment.

“Two persons were swept away by the river, and the operation to locate them is going on. The river is presently in spate following heavy rain in the area”, police said.

In another road accident in the same district, a truck driver was killed after he lost control of the wheel, and his vehicle rolled down the mountainside in the Chang village of Bufliaz in the Poonch district. Police said this accident also occurred on Thursday.

Most rivers and streams are in spate after incessant rain in the Jammu division during the last two days. Heavy snow occurred in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir during the last 24 hours, and rain lashed the plain areas of the Jammu division.

Light snow also occurred in Srinagar city and other plain areas of the Valley during the last 12 hours. Gulmarg ski resort recorded 1.5 feet of fresh snow during this period, while Zojila Pass, Gurez and Razdan Pass recorded 4 feet.

Authorities closed the Srinagar-Jammu, Srinagar-Leh and Mughal roads due to heavy rain/snow during the last 24 hours.

The Meteorological (MeT) office says the same weather conditions will continue on Friday. Authorities had postponed the ‘Khelo India 2025-Winter Sports in Gulmarg’ due to scant snowfall in the ski resort. The fresh snow on the ski slopes in Gulmarg indicates that winter sports would be announced sooner than later.