'ITBP personnel killed, 34 injured as bus falls into gorge in J&K's Ramban'

An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel was killed and 34 others, including three officers of the paramilitary force, were injured Monday when a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, police said.

Nine of the injured persons, including a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors and a civilian driver, were airlifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here for specialised treatment, a police officer said.

He said the vehicle was carrying ITBP personnel, deployed in Rambun district for recent panchayat elections and was part of a Jammu-bound convoy.

The accident occurred near Khuni Nallah in Ramban district around 8.45 am, he added.

Trees prevented the bus from falling further down in the gorge and the rescuers comprising of Army, police and local volunteers immediately reached the accident site and evacuated the victims, the officer said.

He said an ITBP personnel identified as Mohammad Ali was declared brought dead while 34 others, including the driver and conductor of the vehicle, were rescued in an injured condition and shifted to the Ramban district hospital.

Besides the nine critically injured persons, who were airlifted from accident site, two more wounded ITBP personnel were shifted to the GMC by road, the officer said.

He said the ITBP column was deployed in Budgam district of central Kashmir in connection with the recently held panchayat polls and the personnel were returning to their base outside the state when the accident occurred.