Srinagar, Mar 31, KDC: In the dead of night, tragedy struck on the treacherous terrain of the Jammu-Srinagar Highway as a Tavera taxi, carrying passengers bound for Kashmir from Jammu, careened off the road and plummeted into a deep gorge near Battery Chashma. The clock read 1:15 AM when the chilling news of the accident reverberated through the region, reported Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com.
Responding swiftly to the distress call, senior officials alongside the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Ramban Police Station, a dedicated police team, the Union Territory Disaster Response Force (UT DRF) team, and the Civil Quick Response Team (QRT) from Ramban, converged at the scene to initiate rescue operations.
The rugged terrain posed formidable challenges to the rescue efforts, exacerbated by the relentless downpour that obscured visibility and made navigation perilous. Despite these adversities, the teams pressed on, driven by a determination to save lives.
As dawn broke, the grim reality emerged. Ten lifeless bodies were retrieved from the unforgiving depths of the gorge, a stark testament to the severity of the accident. Among the deceased, two identities were confirmed: Balwan Singh, the 47-year-old driver hailing from Amb Ghrotha in Jammu, and Vipin Mukhiya, a resident of Inarbrwa, Bhairagang West Champarn, Bihar.
The heart-wrenching tragedy sent shockwaves through the community, casting a pall of sorrow over the affected families and the region at large. As authorities work tirelessly to unravel the circumstances surrounding the accident, the loss of precious lives serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human existence and the unforgiving nature of fate on the perilous highways of life. (KDC)
