More than 30 killed as bus falls into gorge in occupied Kashmir
World
The bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Assar area of the district
SRINAGAR (KMS) – Over 30 people were killed and several others injured in an accident in Doda district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
According to reports, the bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Assar area of the district resulting in the death of at least 33 people and injuries to 22 others.
Soon after the accident, locals and authorities started massive rescue operations.
AFP adds: The accident took place on a remote road in the Doda area, about 200 kilometres (124 miles) southeast of the region’s capital Srinagar.
“The accident caused by the driver’s negligence by hitting the crash bar of the road,” senior police officer Sunil Gupta said.
“The bus tumbled down the mountain some 250 metres (800 feet),” he said.
Accidents are common on India’s vast network of roads, which are often poorly maintained.
The country accounts for 11 per cent of the global road death toll, despite having just one percent of the world’s vehicles, according to a World Bank report released in 2021.
The same report estimated 150,000 car crash fatalities in India annually — or one every four minutes — causing road crashes that cost the Indian economy around $75 billion each year, the report added.
Medical expenses and loss of income push many accident survivors into poverty.
In May, at least 21 people died when a bus veered off a bridge in India, reportedly after the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
In July, 25 people were killed and eight others injured in western India when a bus crashed and caught fire on an expressway.
