Vehicle plunges into Kishenganga; LG, CM grieved
Srinagar, Sep 28: Five people were killed and six others injured after a passenger vehicle skidded off the Teetwal–Simari road and plunged into the Kishenganga River in the Simari area of Karnah in Kupwara district on Monday.
The deceased were identified as Mohammad Idrees (32), son of Kaser Din; his 9-year-old daughter, Hamza; Sayeed Begum (30), wife of Idrees; Shabir Ahmad (70); and Raja Irshad (27), son of Majeed Khan.
The injured were identified as Sajid Ahmad of Semari; Naveed Ahmad, son of Ghulam Hussain; Mushtaq Ahmad, son of Ghulam Nabi, of Semari; Farhan Khursheed, son of Khursheed Ahmad, of Teetwal; Javid Ahmad of Kadhama; Ashia Begum, wife of Abdul Hameed, of Semari; Ajaz Manzoor, son of Manzoor Ahmad, of Semari; and Shariq, son of Mukhtar Ahmad, of Teetwal.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the district administration to ensure the best possible treatment for those injured.
In a post on X, Sinha said, “Deeply pained by the loss of lives in an unfortunate road accident in Kupwara. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the early recovery of the injured. I have directed the District Administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured.”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed deep grief over the accident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength to the families to bear the irreparable loss.
Omar directed the district administration and medical authorities to provide the injured with the best possible treatment and all necessary medical care. He also directed the concerned authorities to extend all possible assistance to the affected families.
Officials said the accident occurred when the passenger vehicle skidded off the Teetwal–Simari road and fell into the Kishenganga River in the Karnah border area.
The injured were initially shifted to Sub-District Hospital Tangdhar and subsequently referred to Government Medical College (GMC), Handwara, for further treatment.
Following the accident, Karnah MLA Javaid Ahmad Mirchal visited Barzulla Hospital and SMHS Hospital in Srinagar to meet the injured and review their treatment.
At SMHS Hospital, Mirchal interacted with doctors and medical staff and urged them to ensure timely and proper medical care for all the injured. He also requested that necessary treatment be provided free of cost to prevent the affected families from facing additional financial burden.
At Barzulla Hospital, he met the injured and their attendants, reviewed the medical arrangements and expressed concern over their condition.
The MLA assured the affected families of all possible support and said he would remain in touch with the hospitals regarding their treatment and recovery.
The identities of the deceased and injured were being ascertained.
Overspeeding and reckless driving remain among the major causes of fatal road accidents in J&K, with traffic authorities and parliamentary data identifying overspeeding as a leading contributor to serious crashes and fatalities. Sudden overtaking, aggressive manoeuvring and violations of lane discipline further increase the risk of collisions.
In hilly areas, narrow and fragile roads, landslides, loose soil along mountain cuttings, road erosion and inadequate crash barriers can compound the risk of vehicles losing control. Poor enforcement of traffic regulations can also contribute to persistent violations.
The Traffic Department has deployed special teams in hilly districts of J&K to check violations and improve road safety.
