Ramban, Sep 11: Two persons, including a woman, were killed while three others sustained injuries after the car they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge at Sarthal Morh in Bani subdivision of Kathua district on Basohli-Bani-Bhaderwah road on Friday afternoon.
According to officials, the accident occurred when a Baleno car, bearing registration number JK02CD-8457, carrying five persons travelling towards Kathua from Bhaderwah, reportedly went out of control and skidded off the road before plunging into the gorge in the Sarthal Morh area.
Following the accident, the injured were rescued with the assistance of the army and police personnel.
Initially the army provided medical aid to the injured and shifted to a nearby health facility where a woman was declared dead on arrival.
Doctors subsequently referred three injured persons to CHC Bani for specialised treatment. However, one of them succumbed to his injuries during treatment, taking the death toll in the accident to two.
The deceased were identified as Monika Devi (29), wife of Sameer Kotwal, resident of Dandi, Bhaderwah and Balwant Kotwal (61), son of Bajnath Kotwal, also a resident of Dandi, Bhaderwah.
The injured were identified as Suveer Kotwal (33), son of Balwan Singh, resident of Dandi, Bhaderwah; Parshanta Kotwal (59), son of Balwant Kotwal, resident of Bhaderwah; and Vikram Singh (33), son of Ranjeet Singh, resident of Purkhoo Domana, Jammu.
Officials said two of the injured were being taken for treatment at Kathua Hospital, while another was undergoing treatment at Bani hospital.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh spoke to Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma after receiving information about the accident from MLA Doda Dalip Singh Parihar.
In a statement, the Union Minister said that five persons were travelling in the vehicle and expressed grief over the loss of two lives.
Dr Jitendra conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and said that his office was in constant touch with the district administration to monitor the situation and ensure necessary medical assistance to the injured.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua confirmed the death of two persons and injuries to three other occupants of the car in the accident.
The Sarthal route connects the Bhaderwah area of Doda district with Kathua and witnesses considerable movement during the summer months, when residents and visitors from both districts use the route.
Police have taken cognisance of the incident and further investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident is underway.
