SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday expressed grief over the death of five people in a road accident in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar district.
“Pained by the loss of five lives in a tragic road accident in Dachhan, Kishtwar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Sinha said in a post on X.
He said he had directed the district administration and senior officials to ensure immediate assistance to those affected.
According to officials, the accident occurred on Saturday morning when a Mahindra Scorpio, bearing registration number HR29AG-0648, skidded off the road at Yainwan in Dangdaroo and plunged into the Chenab River. Five bodies have been recovered so far, while the identities of the deceased were being ascertained.
The accident comes against the backdrop of a history of fatal road mishaps in the mountainous Chenab Valley, where steep terrain and roads overlooking deep gorges have contributed to several deadly accidents. In November 2023, 39 people were killed when a passenger bus plunged into a deep gorge in Doda’s Assar area.
Dachhan has also witnessed major tragedies in recent years. A cloudburst in Hunzar village in the area in July 2021 claimed 26 lives and left several others injured.
