Soldier among four killed after passenger bus falls into gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch

Lt Governor and Chief Minister express grief over tragic bus accident in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, offering support to victims.

“Four passengers, including a soldier, were killed and 44 others injured when a private bus skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday (May 6, 2025),” officials said.

Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed their grief over the accident.

Mr. Abdullah rushed his cabinet colleague and MLA Mendhar Javed Ahmad Rana to the scene to oversee the relief efforts.

The bus was on its way to Mendhar from Ghani village when its driver lost control around 9.20 a.m. and the vehicle rolled down into the gorge, the officials said.

Locals immediately launched a rescue operation and were joined by police, Army and CRPF personnel.

The officials identified the deceased as 45-year-old Mohd Majeed, 55-year-old Shakeela Begum and 50-year-old Mohd Haneef of Ghani village and 60-year-old Noor Hussain of Kasblari. Majeed, a soldier posted in Assam, had come to his village on leave.

Hussain and Majeed were found dead on the spot by the rescuers, Begum died on the way to GMC Hospital Rajouri and Haneef succumbed during treatment at GMC Rajouri, they said, adding the condition of seven more injured persons was stated to be “critical”.