Jammu 23 Feb: A serious bus accident happened on Saturday evening near Manda, Jammu. A driver lost his life, and 17 pilgrims were injured when their bus, returning from the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, skidded off the road and fell into a 30-foot gorge. The bus, with the registration number UK-07PA-5640, was heading to Delhi and was about eight kilometers from the Jammu bus stand when the accident occurred.
Officials reported that the driver lost control of the bus while going around a curve. Emergency teams quickly arrived at the scene to help. After more than two hours of effort, they were able to recover the driver’s body, identified as Rakesh.
The 17 injured passengers, who came from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, were taken to the Government Medical College Hospital. Thankfully, their conditions are stable.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his sadness over the accident and offered condolences to the driver’s family. He praised the rescue teams for their quick response.
Deeply saddened by the bus accident at Manda, carrying pilgrims from Katra to Delhi. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the driver who lost his life in this tragic incident. Thankfully, all injured passengers are stable and receiving medical care. Wishing them a swift…
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) February 22, 2025
“I’m deeply saddened by the bus accident at Manda, carrying pilgrims from Katra to Delhi. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the driver who lost his life. Thankfully, all injured passengers are stable and receiving medical care. I wish them a swift recovery,” Abdullah wrote on social media.
The Chief Minister’s office is in touch with the authorities to ensure the injured get the help they need. This tragic incident has raised concerns about road safety for buses carrying pilgrims in the area.
