25 pilgrims hurt as private bus falls into gorge in Katra

LOCALS RUSHED TO THE SPOT AND EVACUATED INJURED, FIVE OF THE CRITICALITY INJURED WERE SHIFTED TO GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE IN JAMMU

: As many as 25 pilgrims were injured when their vehicle overturned and fell into a gorge near Katra on Friday afternoon.

Police said, 25 pilgrims travelling in a bus were returning to Katra town after paying obeisance at Deva Mai shrine in Nomai.

Around 1.30pm, about one kilometre away from JammuKatra highway, the driver lost control over the bus while negotiating a sharp turn. The bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge.

The locals rushed to the spot and evacuated the injured pilgrims.

Later, the injured were shifted to Community Health Centre at Katra, and five of the criticality injured were shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, for the specialised treatment.

The critically injured were identified as Yashraj, 37, Rashi Devi, 16, and Samiti Shukla, 28, all residents of Sultanpur in UP, Ashwani Raj, 18, and Ramkabir Yadav, 66, both the residents of New Delhi. The driver of the bus is at large.

One of the pilgrim said, “There were total three buses, which were part of the pilgrimage and all left simultaneously from the shrine.”

A case has been registered and manhunt to nab the driver is on.