23 die as coach plunges into ravine in AJK

MUZAFFARABAD/MIRPUR: At least 23 people, including eight women, were killed and 13 injured when a Rawalpindi bound passenger bus fell into a 200-metre deep ravine at Manjari village near Baloch sub-division of Poonch, Sudhunoti district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on Wednesday, police and locals said.

Police control Plundari said 15 bodies were brought in District Headquarter Hospital, Plundari, after the accident. Commissioner Poonch Division Ansar Yaqoob said the Rawalpindi-bound coaster with 37 passengers on board was coming from Baloch town of Sudhanoti district of AJK when it met with an accident while negotiating a sharp turn near Purana Talab at Bandiyan Manjari village of Baloch sub division, about 22km north of Kotli district.

Four of the seriously injured persons lost their lives on way to the local hospital while five of seriously injured were rushed to DHQ Hospital Kotli. Three other minor injured were admitted in Baloch RHC Hospital, the divisional commissioner informed.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Hussain, Abdul Kareem, Muhammad Jamil, Abdul Kareem, Naila Bibi, Maira Bibi, Muhammad Jamil, Muhammad Mansoor, Muhammad Shafi, Nazir Ahmed, Haroon, Muhammad Safeer, Rukhsana Khanim, Omer Bashir, Abida Bibi, Noureen, Mujtaba, Rasheeda Begam, Hafiz Adnan, Barkat Jan, Zubaida Kousar and Shakeelay.