SRINAGAR: Nine school children have been killed and as many injured critically after their school bus met with an accident in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The students of Moral High Public School, Dayalgam village were going home on Thursday afternoon when their school bus skidded off the road at Kandewaara in Kokernag area and rolled down into a 300-ft gorge.
“Nine students have died,” Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Ghulam Mohammad Dar told freepress.
He said seven other students and the driver and conductor of the bus have been injured. Most of them, critically injured, have been shifted to capital Srinagar for treatment.
While expressing his grief over the incident, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has announced relief amount of Rs. one lakh for kin of the deceased.
He has also sanctioned Rs. 10,000 to each of the injured.
“In his condolence message to the bereaved families, the Chief Minister conveyed his sympathies and prayed for peace to the departed souls. He also prayed for early recovery of injured,” an official spokesman said.
Governor NN Vohra has also expressed grief and anguish over the road accident.
He has asked the government to “take most urgent measures to reduce the incidence of such accidents”.
Junior Minister for Home Affairs, Sajad Kitchloo, President of the main opposition People’s Democratic party (PDP)Mehbooba Mufti and state secretary of CPI(M) Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami have also expressed grief over the incident.
Mufti asked the government to provide free of cost medical treatment to the injured students.
Names
A police spokesman said: “Those who died have been identified as Sumi daughter of Mohammad Akram, Muddasir Yousuf Bhat son of Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Rafia Jan daughter of Abdul Rehman Malik, Dilshada Akhter daughter of Abdul Razzaq, Uzra Jan daughter of Mohammad Shameem, Arshi Jan daughter of Rafeeq Ahmad, Nowshera Nazir daughter of Nazir Ahmad, Yasir Ahmad son of Basharat all residents of Kandiwara Anantnag and Numan.”
