Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 15
Five labourers working on the under-construction Dangdaroo power project were killed on Saturday when their vehicle skidded off a road and plunged into the fast-flowing Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said.
The accident occurred in the Yaivan area of Dachhan when the Light Motor Vehicle, bearing registration HR29AG-0648, was travelling from Yainwan towards Sounder in the Dangdaroo area.
Officials said the driver lost control of the vehicle, which left the road, rolled down a steep gorge and fell into the river.
All five occupants were workers associated with the Dangdaroo power project.
Police, residents and volunteers launched rescue and recovery operations immediately after the accident. Five bodies were recovered from the site, and the vehicle’s number plate was also retrieved.
Rescuers said the strong current of the Chenab may have swept the vehicle further downstream, complicating recovery efforts.
The deceased were identified as Yasir Malik of Suid Dachhan; Mohasin of Tander, Dachhan; Muhammad Younis of Suid Dachhan; Murad Ahmed of Dharmkund, Ramban; and Saddam Hussain Naik of Neel, Ramban.
Three of the victims were from Kishtwar and two from Ramban.
The bodies were taken to Dachhan Hospital for identification and medico-legal formalities. Police took cognisance of the incident and further investigation and recovery operations were continuing.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh expressed grief over the deaths and said he had spoken to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma after receiving information about the crash.
MLA Kishtwar Shagun Parihar also expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
The accident triggered protests by local residents, who blamed road conditions and alleged that the vulnerable stretch lacked adequate safety measures, including crash barriers.
Protesters called for immediate widening and improvement of the road, particularly at accident-prone points in Dachhan, and raised concerns about the safety of workers and commuters using the narrow road network.
Residents also voiced concerns about the safety and welfare of workers employed by companies involved in the Dangdaroo power project.
They demanded compensation for the families of all five victims and called for immediate assistance from the administration and project authorities.
Residents also sought a comprehensive review of road-safety arrangements, including installation of crash barriers and improvements to vulnerable stretches.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah separately expressed condolences.
Sinha said he had directed the district administration and senior officials to ensure immediate assistance for those affected.
Omar expressed “deep sorrow” over the deaths and directed the Kishtwar administration to provide immediate assistance and necessary support to the victims’ families.
