Nine dead, five injured as passenger vehicle falls into gorge in J-K's Kathua

Nine people, including three women and as many children, were killed and five others injured on Saturday when a passenger vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.

The accident took place around 5.30 pm in remote Mallar village when the driver of a Tata Sumo lost control over the vehicle which rolled down into the 300 feet deep gorge, the officials said.

The vehicle was on way to Nailo village, they said, adding the villagers launched a rescue operation. Police parties rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident and joined the locals in carrying out the operation.

The rescuers pulled out nine bodies from the vehicle and sent five critically injured people to a local hospital, the officials said.

They said three women and three children were among those killed and the identities of the deceased were being ascertained.

The injured were later referred to the Government Medical College Jammu, the officials said.