22 pilgrims killed, 57 injured as bus falls into Jammu gorge

Twenty two people, including six children and eight women, died and 57 others were injured after a bus carrying pilgrims to Shiv Khori cave shrine in Reasi district of J&K plummeted into a deep gorge in Jammu last week.
The bus had started from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh and had reached Tanda area of Akhnoor in Jammu via Kurukshetra in Haryana when it veered off the road while negotiating a turn and rolled 150 feet down into the ravine at Tungi Morh near Chowki Chowra, according to officials.
Police personnel and locals rushed to the spot and evacuated the injured to Akhnoor sub-district hospital. Later, Army also joined the rescue operation. The injured were later shifted to Govt Medical College and Hospital in Jammu, police said.
Of the 15 victims identified, six were from Hathras district and nine from Naya village in neighbouring Aligarh district. Police are trying to ascertain the identities of the remaining seven.
Condoling the loss of lives in the “heart-rending” incident, LG Manoj Sinha announced ex gratia of Rs 500,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured, and directed the administration to provide all possible support to the bereaved families and medical facilities to the injured.
PM Narendra Modi also announced Rs 200,000 to the families of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. In a message on X handle of PMO India, he said: “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.”
Officials in UP said most of the passengers on the ill-fated bus belonged to Hathras and Aligarh districts. The administrations of the two districts are in touch with the authorities in Jammu.
Hathras DM Archana Verma said a team had been sent to Jammu to assist the injured and update the district administration