12 Killed, Several Injured as Bus Overturns in J&K’s Udhampur

Jammu — At least 12 people lost their lives and several others were injured after a passenger bus overturned in Udhampur on Monday.

According to officials, the accident occurred near Jalo village on the Ramnagar–Udhampur road when the bus, en route to Udhampur town from Ramnagar, met with the mishap. Rescue operations were launched immediately, with police, civil administration, and SDRF teams rushing to the spot.

Union Minister of State in the PMO and MP from the region, Jitendra Singh, said he had spoken to the Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur soon after the incident. He noted that emergency response teams were mobilised quickly and all possible assistance was being extended. The injured are being shifted for medical treatment, with arrangements also being made to airlift those in critical condition.

Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the tragedy, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He directed the district administration, police, SDRF, and health department to ensure all necessary support to those affected.

Authorities said the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, and an investigation is underway.

Road accidents are a recurring concern in the hilly districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Reasi, Kishtwar, and Udhampur. Factors such as overloading, overspeeding, rash driving, and challenging road conditions often contribute to such incidents. The traffic department has deployed special teams in these regions to curb violations and improve road safety.

With inputs from IANS