2 brothers among 4 killed as bolder hits truck on highway near Ramban

M S Nazki

Jammu : Two brothers were among four persons from Anantnag district killed when a truck they were travelling in was hit by a boulder and hurtled down into a gorge at Wagan near Sher Bibi along the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban  district on Tuesday, officials said.

They said that truck (JK03J 0312) was reportedly hit by the boulder at wee hours, around 5:30 a.m. later locals and police rushed to the spot. However, there was no survivor as bodies of all four persons was recovered and shifted to SDH Banihal.

Confirming the accident to a police officer identified the deceased as Mohammad Afzal Garoo, 42, (driver), his brother Mohammad Altaf Garoo (36) son of Abdul Aziz Garoo of Redwani Anantnag, Irfan Ahmed (33) son of Abdul Hamid Bhat and Showkat Ahmed (29) son of Abdul Hamid of Srigufara Anantnag. He said that it is being verified if Irfan and Showkat too are siblings.

Meanwhile, the stone slide led to the closure of the Highway at Kishtwari Pather, Banihal. “Traffic stopped from both sides. People advised not to travel on highway without confirmation from TCUs,” a traffic department official said. Efforts are underway to reopen the thoroughfare, the official added.