Mirpur: At least ten people were killed while 18 others were injured after coaster fell into ravine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) during early hours, police said. Vehicle bearing registration number, IOT-1493 was returning from Nairiyan, remote village in AJK’s Sudhnoti district where victims had gone to attend urs celebrations to Gujranwala. As vehicle arrived near Jarai village at border of Kotli and Mirpur at around 1am, it fell into ravine due to “Negligence of driver who was unfamiliar with area”, Senior Superintendent of Police Kotli Riaz Mughal told.

“Skid marks on road suggest speeding vehicle spun out of driver’s control before plunging into ravine,” he said, adding that there were between 28 to 30 people on board coaster. He said that local police station was alerted about incident, following which police and Rescue 1122 personnel from both Kotli and Mirpur rushed to scene. SSP said that driver was believed to have fled scene, adding that he had been booked under sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving) and 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving) of Pakistan Penal Code. SSP Mughal said that deceased and injured, some of whom were critically wounded had been shifted to Divisional Headquarters Hospital, Mirpur.

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 14 2023

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