Drass, July 16: In a tragic accident early Wednesday morning, a Tempo Traveller en route from Ladakh to Srinagar skidded off the road and plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge at Gumri in Drass, resulting in two fatalities and injuries to fifteen others.
According to officials, the mishap occurred around 6:15 AM when the vehicle (registration number JK02DJ/0871), driven by Ajay Singh from Akhnoor, Jammu, lost control near the treacherous Gumri stretch. The Tempo Traveller was carrying 17 passengers, all of whom sustained injuries in the crash.
Rescue teams from the Indian Army, local police, and civil administration swiftly responded to the scene. The injured were first taken to the nearby Army medical facility before being shifted to the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Drass. Three of the critically injured were later referred to the District Hospital in Kargil for specialized care.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Drass, Vishal Atri, confirmed the deaths and said an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. “Three of the injured are in serious condition and have been referred to Kargil for further treatment,” he said.
Dr.JafferAkhoon, Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), expressed grief over the loss of lives and visited SDH Drass to check on the injured. He instructed the medical team to ensure the best possible treatment and urged drivers to strictly adhere to speed limits while travelling on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway.
Police have registered a case and launched a probe into the incident.
