10 people, mostly non-locals, killed as Tavera plunges into gorge on highway near Ramban

M S Nazki

Jammu : At least ten people, most of them said to be non-locals, were killed when a Taxi (Tavera) carrying passengers on way to Kashmir from Jammu rolled down about 300 meters deep gorge near Battery Chashma along Jammu-Srinagar highway midnight, officials said.

Identity of the deceased is still being ascertained even as identity proof recovered from the spot include that of a 47-year-old driver from Jammu and a non-local, apparently migrant labourer from Bihar.

A senior police officer told that information was received at around 1.15 a.m. midnight that a Tavera vehicle, carrying passengers towards Kashmir from Jammu, fell into a gorge and rolled down about 300 meters near Battery Chashma on the highway.

Immediately, he said, senior officers besides a police party headed by SHO police station Ramban, SDRF team and civil QRT Ramban rushed to the spot and started a massive rescue operation amid heavy rains.

“So far 10 bodies have been found in the deep gorge and are being shifted through tough terrain amid continuous rainfall”. He said that apparently most of the deceased are migrant labourers.

Two identity proofs have been recovered from the site so far and include that of Balwan Singh son of Purab Singh of Amb Ghrotha Jammu who is said to be the driver of the vehicle, the officer said.

Another identity card is that of Vipin Mukhiya son of Vishwa Nath Mukhiya of Inarbrwa ,Bhairagang west Champarn Bihar, the officer said.

SSP Ramban Anuj Kumar (IPS) confirmed to that bodies have been recovered and are being shifted amid downpour in the area.