Tragic Accident in Rajouri: Four Dead, Eight Critically Injured as Vehicle Plunges into Gorge

Four passengers, including three women, lost their lives, while eight others sustained critical injuries, as a vehicle plunged into a gorge on the Thanamandi Bhangai road in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said today.

The accident occurred during the late hours of Tuesday and Wednesday, when a vehicle carrying members of three families, who were returning home after attending a relative’s funeral in Bufliyaz area of Poonch, veered off the road just a few hundred meters away from its destination in Bhangai village.

Local residents and police rushed to the scene and rescued the 12 passengers from the wreckage. They were immediately taken to the sub-district hospital in Thanamandi, where four of them were pronounced dead. The deceased have been identified as Shamim Akhtar, Rubina Kouser, Zarina Begum, and Mohammad Younis, all residents of Bhangai.

The eight critically injured individuals, identified as Shaheen Begum, Zaitoon Begum, Shaheen Begum, Begum Jaan, Fatima Begum, Suriya Begum, Kulsoom Begum, and Mohd Qasim, have been referred to the GMC Associated Hospital in Rajouri for urgent medical treatment. Their condition remains critical.

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Sub Divisional Police Officer Thanamandi, confirmed the tragic incident and stated that the accident occurred around 2:30 AM as the vehicle was en route from Bufliyaz to Bhangai. He said that a case has been registered at the Thanamandi Police Station, and investigations are underway.