Srinagar, Apr 12 : Two students died and at least 17 others were injured on Saturday morning when a bus carrying students and staff from Government Degree College Sogam, Kupwara, met with an accident in Vodhpora village.
The bus (registration number JK09 6733) was on its way to a picnic spot when the bus skidded of the road and crashed, causing panic among the passengers. Locals, along with police, CRPF, and Army personnel, quickly reached the spot and took the injured to Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara.
One student, Asiya Rashid, was declared dead on arrival. Another student, Mymoona Ali, who was critically injured, died later at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar.
The rest of the injured are being treated at GMC Handwara. Their condition is said to be stable. Those injured include students, a lecturer, and other staff members.
The injured have been identified as: Surya Akhter, Gawher Ahmad Wani, Taniya Mushtaq, Azra Shahzad, Insha Mohiudin, Ruqiya Akhter, Tabasum Ahad, Gazala Akhter, Insha Akhter, Sehra Akhter, Mir Saika, Fahmida Begum, Gh Rasool Ganie, Iqra Bashir, Tahira Akhter, Ashiq Hussain Ganie, and Seems Jan.
The incident has caused grief across the Kupwara district. Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, visited the injured at GMC Handwara and called the incident a personal loss. He said the government is working to improve health facilities in Kupwara so that patients don’t have to be shifted to Srinagar.
Wani also spoke about road safety and said work is underway to widen roads, including the Sopore–Kulangam stretch, to help prevent such accidents in the future. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. Initial findings are expected soon.
Meanwhile,Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo, today visited the Kalaroos and Sogam areas of Kupwara district to offer condolences to the families of two young students who lost their lives in a tragic road accident earlier in the day.
She was accompanied by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, former Minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzaan, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Ayushi Sudan, Director Health Services Kashmir Dr. Jahangir Bakshi, Director Colleges J&K Dr. Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, and other senior officers from the district administration.
During the visit, the Minister met with the bereaved families and expressed deep sorrow over the incident. “This is not just a personal loss for the families, but a tragedy for the entire community. The loss of such promising young lives is deeply painful,” she said, assuring the families of full government support during this difficult time.
The Minister informed that the government has announced ex-gratia relief for the victims’ families and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the cause of the accident.
She further stated that immediately after receiving news of the accident, key health officials—including the Director SKIMS, Principals of GMC Srinagar and GMC Handwara, Director Health Services Kashmir, and the CMO Kupwara—were alerted to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
Hospital administrators were instructed to personally monitor the condition of the injured students and ensure effective and timely treatment. “Thanks to the prompt response by the medical teams, several lives were saved and students were quickly shifted to advanced medical facilities,” the Minister said.
Later, the Minister visited Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara, where she met with injured students and their attendants, assuring them of all necessary assistance and continued support from the government.
While interacting with medical staff, Sakeena Itoo directed the Medical Superintendent and team to prioritize the treatment of the injured and maintain adequate staffing around the clock. She emphasized that the condition of each patient should be closely monitored.
The Medical Superintendent informed the Minister that most of the injured students had been discharged after receiving proper treatment. Currently, three students are undergoing treatment at GMC Handwara, and one each is admitted at SMHS and SKIMS Srinagar.
Following the tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of two of its students, Government Degree College (GDC) Sogam suspended classwork as a mark of respect and mourning.
The college administration said the decision was taken to honour the memory of Asiya Rashid and Mymoona Ali, both promising students whose sudden demise has left the institution and the entire community in shock
LG, CM, others express grief over accident
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed their anguish over the tragic bus accident at Handwara in which two young students lost their lives and some were injured. The Lieutenant Governor has conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed to the Almighty to give the bereaved families the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said: “The news of the death of two young students in Handwara College Bus accident is extremely heartbreaking. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved family members. Praying for the early recovery of the injured”.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed sorrow over the road accident near Handwara that claimed the lives of two students from Government Degree College (GDC) Sogam on Saturday morning.
“The loss of two young, promising students in this unfortunate incident is a tragedy that weighs heavily on all of us,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on X. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and are ensuring all necessary assistance.”
Following the Chief Minister’s directions, Advisor to the CM, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar visited Handwara Hospital to review the condition of the injured students. They interacted with doctors and directed the hospital administration to provide quality care and monitor the patients closely.
Advisor Wani also visited SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, where some of the critically injured students had been referred for specialised treatment. He reviewed medical arrangements and urged healthcare staff to ensure uninterrupted care.
Later in the day, Minister Dar and Advisor Wani visited the homes of the deceased students to personally extend condolences to their families.
The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia relief of ₹1 lakh each for the families of the deceased, ₹50,000 for those seriously injured, and ₹25,000 for those with minor injuries.
