2 students die in Balakot road mishap

MANSEHRA: Two students were killed when a speeding car ran over them in Balakot on Sunday.

“The car, being driven by an underage driver, crushed two students to death. And the driver also sustained injuries when the vehicle fell into a ravine after the accident,” Faisal Khalil, the SHO of Balakot Police Station, told reporters. Eyewitnesses said the car, on its way to Mansehra from Balakot, went out of control owing to high speed and ran over Mohammad Hazika, a first-year student and Qamar Ali, a 9th-grade student, leaving them seriously injured.

The Locals rushed them to the Civil Hospital in Balakot where doctors pronounced them dead. Their bodies were handed over to their respective families.The driver, Abdullah, stated to be 15-year-old, was also injured when the car plunged into a ravine. He was referred to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital in Mansehra from the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Balakot where his condition was reported to be stable.

The police in Balakot have lodged an FIR and initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Family members and relatives of the deceased protested against the incident demanding exemplary punishment for the driver. “The reckless driving of the underage car driver has taken the lives of our loved ones. The police must arrest him immediately and ensure he faces justice under strict laws,” said Mohammad Munsif, the uncle of one of the victims.