JAMMU, May 30 – A devastating bus accident near Jammu has resulted in the loss of at least 10 lives, with 57 others sustaining injuries. The incident occurred in the morning when a double-decker bus carrying pilgrims to the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine veered off the road, plummeting into a gorge after colliding with the railing of a bridge.
The victims, mostly hailing from Bihar, were en route to Katra, the base camp for those embarking on the pilgrimage to the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine located atop the Trikuta hills. The ill-fated bus, which had departed from Amritsar, met with the tragic accident in the Jhajjar Kotli area. As per officials, the bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, toppling over the bridge and into a nallah between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli shared, “The accident took place at Jhajjar Kotli bridge. Ten people have died. Rescue operation is almost complete. We are investigating the reasons behind the accident.” Promptly responding to the distress call, local residents, along with personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the police, rushed to the scene to initiate rescue efforts.
The CRPF’s 137th battalion, in a tweet, confirmed their involvement in the rescue operation, stating, “The troops of 137 CRPF battalion carried out the rescue operation to evacuate injured driver and passengers from the bus, which turned turtle and fell down from Jhajjar Kotli bridge on the highway.”
Among the injured, 57 individuals were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMC) in Jammu. Unfortunately, the principal of the hospital, Shashi Soodan, reported that two of the admitted patients are in critical condition. He further revealed that two individuals had been brought in already deceased, while others succumbed to their injuries at the accident site.
Eyewitnesses described the horrifying scene, with bodies trapped under the mangled wreckage of the bus. According to accounts, the bus, initially traveling in the left lane, veered off course, crossed over to the right side, and crashed into the bridge’s railing before plunging downwards. The front wheels of the bus became dislodged and got stuck in the bridge’s parapet.
Most of the passengers hailed from Lakhisarai in Bihar and had embarked on the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi for a religious ceremony associated with their child. The travelers, members of an extended family, were hoping to pay their respects at the temple and perform the Mundan (tonsuring) ceremony.
Ramesh Kumar, one of the survivors, expressed their initial intentions, stating, “We were hoping to pay obeisance to Mata Vaishno Devi temple and perform Mundan of our child. We were several families together.”
As news of the tragic accident spread, expressions of grief and condolences poured in from various quarters. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed his condolences on Twitter, saying, “Extremely pained by the loss of lives in a tragic bus accident in Jhajjar Kotli, Jammu. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families & prayers for speedy recovery of the injured.”
The Chief Secretary, Arun K Mehta, the Director General of Police, Dilbagh Singh, the Additional Director General of Police (Jammu Zone), Mukesh Singh, and other senior officials visited the Jammu GMC Hospital to inquire about the condition of the injured. The Chief Secretary emphasized the need
