At least 14 persons have been killed and an equal number injured, 10 of them seriously, when a vehicle fell into a deep gorge in the Ramnagar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district, early Tuesday morning.
The heavily overcrowded matador van was on its way from Ghordi to Ramnagar with mostly college students and government employees, when it fell into a deep gorge near Dalsar area of the Ramnagar Tehsil.
"Rescue and relief operation was launched immediately. So far 14 people are confirmed dead in the accident while 14 others injured are being treated in various hospitals; condition of some of them is serious," Dr Pawan Kotwal, divisional commissioner of Jammu, said.
A police officer said the deceased included eight males, five females and a child.
"Rescue work is taking time as the accident has taken place in a remote area where there is lack of transportation", a police officer said.
The district administration fears that the casualties might go up.
"14 deaths have been reported so far, but we fear more as some persons are still trapped and rescue operation is still going on", Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur said.
Meanwhile, the injured are being shifted to the district hospital in Udhampur from where the seriously injured have been referred to the Government Medical College.
With Agency Inputs
