A catastrophic road accident on Monday morning has plunged the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir into deep mourning. A private passenger bus, carrying over 50 people, lost control while navigating a treacherous blind curve near

Kagort village in the Ramnagar area as bus en route to Udhampur skids off a blind curve at Kagort, crushing an auto-rickshaw before turning into a mangled heap., claiming 21 lives and leaving 29 others battling for survival.

The tragedy occurred around 10:00 AM as the bus was traveling from Ramnagar toward Udhampur town. In a freak secondary impact, the falling bus crushed an auto-rickshaw on the road below before coming to a rest upside down. While the passengers of the auto-rickshaw sustained injuries, the bus itself was reduced to a “mangled heap of iron,” with its roof almost entirely sheared off by the force of the tumble.

The Rescue: Army Convoy Turns First Responders

A major loss of life was averted from being even higher due to the swift intervention of an Army convoy. The convoy, which was moving from Udhampur to Ramnagar, witnessed the bus rolling down the in real-time. Without a second’s delay, the soldiers secured the area and began the arduous task of pulling survivors from the wreckage.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, confirmed that the joint operation involved the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army, and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Local villagers also played a pivotal role, rushing to the site to assist in carrying the injured to ambulances.

Official Statements and High-Level Monitoring

DIG Shiv Kumar Sharma addressed the media at the site, noting that the death toll rose throughout the afternoon as critically injured victims succumbed at the Udhampur District Hospital. He emphasized that Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, are personally monitoring the situation via phone.

Airlifting the Critically Injured

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who represents the Udhampur constituency, was in constant contact with Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa. Dr. Singh confirmed that arrangements were being made to airlift the most seriously injured victims to Jammu for specialized treatment, as the local medical facilities were under immense pressure.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra also expressed their grief, urging the administration to ensure that no stone is left unturned in providing medical care to the survivors.