Doda Bus Accident Update: Cause, Casualties and Aftermath After Death Toll Rises to 39
On November 15, 2023, a devastating bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district shattered lives. The bus, en route from Kishtwar to Jammu, plunged into a deep gorge near Trungal-Assar, leaving a trail of grief and despair.
A tragic incident unfolded in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Wednesday, where a passenger bus, en route from Kishtwar to Jammu, veered off the road, rolling down a hill for approximately 250 meters.
The outcome of the Doda bus accident was devastating, with 39 fatalities and 17 reported injuries. Doda Senior Superintendent of Police, Abdul Qayoom, confirmed that the deceased were predominantly from Kishtwar and Doda districts, with a few laborers from outside J&K, including six manual labors from Bihar.
“The private bus bearing registration JK 02 CN 6555, met with the accident at Trungal Assar on National Highway NH 244 around 11:50 am. A rescue operation is underway, employing both personnel and machinery to expedite the transfer of the injured for medical treatment. Further details will be provided as the situation unfolds,” he adds.
Several of the injured are in critical condition.
#WATCH | Doda bus accident | Injured being airlifted to Jammu by district administration pic.twitter.com/oeSyYSqnnN
— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2023
Cause of the Doda Bus Accident
Preliminary findings by the police suggest that the cause of the Doda bus accident was a result of overloading, overspeeding, and the driver’s negligence.
Abdul Qayoom confirmed that although the bus had a seating capacity of 52, it was carrying 56 individuals at the time of the accident.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the bus was traveling at an excessive speed and that the driver struggled to navigate a sharp turn.
According to the district Commissioner of Doda, DC Doda, Harvinder Singh, the bus was carrying 56 passengers on board and the driver failed to navigate the bus because of the high speed it was in.
“The bus was on the left side of the roadway when it failed to negotiate a curve and collided with a newly installed crash barrier, subsequently vaulting over it and descending into the ravine,” he adds.
Authorities are actively looking into the incident to gather more details and ascertain the factors contributing to the tragic accident.
A three-member pane has also been set up to investigate the cause of the Doda bus accident as the death toll rose to 39 today.
J&K Administration Forms Committee to Probe the Bus Accident
A three-member panel has been set up by the Jammu and Kashmir administration today to investigate the cause of the Doda bus accident as the death toll rose to 39.
Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar announced the formation of the committee tasked with probing the details of the accident near Assar in Doda district.
The committee, comprising Dr. Ravi Kumar Bharti (Additional District Magistrate), the Superintending Engineer, and the Assistant Road Transport Officer, is mandated to conduct a thorough inquiry into the cause of the accident and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The committee is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the Divisional Commissioner’s office within a week.
#WATCH | Doda bus accident | Jammu & Kashmir: DC Doda, Harvinder Singh says, "…56 people were travelling in the vehicle. Based on the latest inputs, there have been 39 casualties till now and 17 are undergoing treatment…" (15.11) pic.twitter.com/S24VHsIrfw
— ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2023
List of Names of Doda Accident Victims
The process of victim identification following the bus accident is underway. As of now, 33 bodies have been identified and six more bodies are yet to be identified.
The list of names of the Doda accident victims is as follows:
| Raviti Devi (Nilhote, Assar) | Vishu Thakur (Nilhote, Assar) |
| Chuni Lal (Assar) | Devinder Singh (Prem Nagar) |
| Ashu Parihar (Bhata, Kishtwar) | Renuka Parihar (Sarore, Kishtwar) |
| Raghunath (Drabshalla, Kishtwar) | Saksham Parihar (Bhata, Kishtwar) |
| Shakeel Ahmed (Akramabad, Doda) | Hemanshu Raina (Manwa, Bhaderwah) |
| Rita Devi (Thathri, Doda) | Subhash Chander (Balgran, Kishtwar) |
| Javed Ahmed (Mantalai, Udhampur) | Rajesh Kumar (Chatroo, Kishtwar) |
| Nizam Din (Hanuman, Nagar Bihar) | Swarna Devi (Bakna, Doda) |
| Bhagwan Singh (Malotha, Doda) | Ratna Devi (Saroor, Kishtwar) |
| Mohammad Azad (Hanuman Nagar, Bihar) | Mohammad Yousuf (Billawar, Kathua) |
| Dharminder Sahgal (Batote, Ramban) | Anuradha (Goha Marmat, Doda) |
| Jasveer (Bhalessa) | Simran Devi (Nagsani, Kishtwar) |
| Suresh Kumar Karsh (Bilaspur, Chattisgarh) | Nadeem (Meerut) |
| Dilshad (Muzaffarnagar, UP) | Mohammad (Hanuman Nagar, Bihar) |
| Roshan Lal (Thandapani, Assar) | Munish Kumar (Drabshalla, Kishtwar) |
| Arun Kumar (Sarore, Kishtwar) | Etwari Devi (Bilaspur, Chattisgarh) |
| Ajgiya Bai (Bilaspur, Chattisgarh) |
PM Narendra Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia for Victims Families
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the tragic bus accident on Wednesday, announcing an ex gratia relief of Rs 2 lakhs for the families of those who lost their lives in the road accident in J&K’s Doda district.
In a statement, he conveyed his sympathies to the affected families and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) specified that Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 would be allocated to the injured.
The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 15, 2023
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs.…
J&K Government Declares Rs 5 Lakh Ex-gratia for Families of Deceased
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, has declared an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased individuals affected by the regrettable bus accident in Assar, Doda.
Additionally, a compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to those who sustained injuries in the incident.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 5 Lakh each would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the unfortunate bus accident in Assar, Doda. Rs. 1 Lakh would be given to those injured. J&K UT Administration will provide every possible assistance to affected families.
— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) November 15, 2023
List of Similar Accidents in Kishtwar and Doda
The hilly terrain of Doda and Rajouri districts has gained notoriety for its challenging road conditions, contributing significantly to frequent and severe accidents. Traffic department officials attribute the primary causes to overspeeding and reckless driving in these areas.
Conversely, local residents point fingers at the traffic department, holding them responsible for inadequate oversight on overloaded passenger buses and privately owned vehicles engaging in high-speed maneuvers.
The blame game highlights the complex dynamics and challenges faced in addressing the road safety issues prevalent in these regions.
A list of accidents similar to the Doda bus accident that happened in the recent past is as follows:
- September 14, 2018: A mini-bus skidded off the road in the Dandaran area of Kishtwar, leading to 17 fatalities and 16 injuries.
- July 1, 2019: A devastating accident in Kishtwar’s Sangwari area resulted in the loss of 35 lives and left 17 individuals injured.
- May 24, 2023: A cruiser vehicle slipped off the road and plunged into a gorge at the Dangduru dam site in the Dachan area of Kishtwar, claiming seven lives and injuring three.
- June 27, 2023: Five lives were lost, and 12 individuals sustained injuries when their vehicle plunged into a gorge on the Bhadarwah-Pathankot road in Doda.
- August 30, 2023: A car veered off the road and fell into a 300-foot gorge in Kishtwar, killing eight people.
- October 8, October 30, 2023: Three people lost their lives in separate road accidents in Doda district on October 8 and October 20, further highlighting the concerning trend of road safety in the region.
As of 2023, the toll from road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 616 fatalities. Notably, the highest number of casualties occurred in Jammu, Doda, and Kathua districts, according to available data.
Comparatively, in 2022, the region witnessed 805 fatalities and 8,372 injuries due to road accidents, underscoring the persistent challenge of road safety in Jammu and Kashmir.
