23 killed as coach falls into gorge near Muzaffarabad

About 30 people were onboard the bus

MUZAFFRABAD:

At least 23 people including women and children were killed and 13 others injured after a Rawalpindi-bound passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine near Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on Wednesday.

Commissioner Poonch Division Ansar Yaqoob said that the coaster bearing registration no RIR – 7782 with 37 passengers on board was coming from Baloach town of Sudhanoti district of AJK.

The bus met with an accident while negotiating a sharp turn near Purana Talab at Bandiyan Manjari village of Baloch subdivision, about 22 kilometres north of Kotli district.

Four of the seriously injured people lost their lives on way to a local hospital while five of the seriously injured were rushed to DHQ Hospital Kotli. Three others were admitted to Baloch RHC Hospital, the divisional commissioner said.

Read Two students, rickshaw driver killed in road accident

The deceased were identified as Abdul Hussain, Abdul Kareem, Muhammad Jamil, Abdul Kareem, Naila BB, Maira BB, Muhammad Jamil, Muhammad Mansoor, Muhammad Shafi, Nazir Ahmed, Haroon, Muhammad Safeer, Rukhsana Khanam, Omer Bashir, Abida BB, Noureen, Mujtaba, Rasheeda Begam, Hafiz Adnan, Barkat Jan, Zubaida Kousar and Shakeelay.

In September, five people were killed and 20 injured in an accident between a truck and a bus that was transporting residents of Karachi to Khairpur. The vehicles collided on the M9 motorway near Lunikot in Jamshoro district.

Police said the bus hit the truck from the rear and overturned on impact. The bodies of the deceased were shifted to Kotri Taluka Hospital, while the injured were taken to a medical facility in Jamshoro.

(With input from APP)