Daijiworld Media Network - Jammu
Jammu, Jun 28: Eight Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and a civilian driver were injured after a bus carrying them overturned on the Tarakote route leading to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Sunday, police officials said.
According to the police, the accident occurred while the CISF personnel, who are deployed for security duties at the shrine, were returning to their camp after completing their work.
Officials said three CISF personnel sustained serious injuries in the mishap. They were identified as Head Constables Sammy Kumar and M.M. Dubey, and Constable P.K. Traya.
The injured personnel were shifted to Narayana Hospital in Katra for specialised treatment, where they are undergoing medical care.
The remaining injured, including a CISF sub-inspector and the civilian driver, Virender Singh, were admitted to the Community Health Centre in Katra. Hospital authorities said their condition is stable.
Police have initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
Road accidents continue to be a major concern in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the hilly districts where difficult terrain and challenging road conditions often increase the risk of mishaps.
Officials attribute a significant number of accidents in the Union Territory to factors such as over-speeding, rash and negligent driving, risky overtaking on blind curves and driver distraction caused by mobile phone usage.
The problem is further aggravated by inadequate road infrastructure in several mountainous regions, including narrow roads, steep drops, insufficient crash barriers, limited warning signage and frequent landslides during adverse weather conditions.
Authorities have also highlighted overloading of passenger vehicles, poor maintenance of ageing vehicles, impaired driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and non-compliance with safety measures such as wearing seat belts and helmets as major contributors to road fatalities.
The police have repeatedly appealed to motorists to exercise caution, particularly while travelling on the mountainous roads leading to religious and tourist destinations across Jammu and Kashmir.