Srinagar, Mar 29: At least ten persons were killed when a passenger vehicle they were traveling in skidded off and plunged into a 300 feet deep gorge early on Friday morning near Ramban's Battery Chashma along Srinagar-Jammu highway. Eight among the deceased are residents of Bihar, officials said.

Police officials revealed that the Tavera vehicle was on its way from Jammu to Srinagar carrying 10 passengers when it met with an accident and fell into a deep gorge near Battery Chashma.

SSP Ramban Anuj Kumar told Rising Kashmir that a passenger taxi rolled down a deep gorge near Battery Chashma in Ramban area at around 1AM on Friday. Following the accident Police, SDRF and civil QRT Ramban reached the spot and a rescue operation was started. “We recovered 10 dead bodies from the spot and their identification is in process. So far four bodies have been identified,” he said.

SSP Kumar said that police added that information was received about the incident at about 1.15 AM that a vehicle Tavera (Taxi) carrying passengers on its way towards Kashmir from Jammu rolled down in a deep gorge near Battery Chashma on NH-44.

He said that the identified included vehicle's driver, Balwan Singh (47), son of Purab Singh, resident of Amb Gharota, Jammu and Vipin Mukhiya, son of Vishwa Nath Mukhiya, resident of ward no 13 Inarbrwa, Bhairagang, West Champaran, Bihar . Two others have also been identified and are from the West Champaran.

DC Ramban, Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary said rescue operation at Battery Chesman has concluded and 10 bodies of migrant workers including driver from Jammu have been recovered. “Identification of other workers is underway,” he said.

“Four bodies have been identified including the Jammu driver. These workers were returning to Kashmir. We are in touch with the West Champaran administration and other bodies are also being identified,” DC Ramban Chaudhary added.

PRO Defense Jammu said that in a joint effort, Indian Army, Ramban Police Jammu and Kashmir Police, & volunteers assisted in recovery & evacuation of the deceased, in the aftermath of the unfortunate accident.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the accident and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of each of the deceased, he said on X.

President Droupadi Murmu in a post on X expressed shock over the incident and stated that the news of people getting killed after a vehicle fell into a gorge in the Ramban area on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway is very sad. I offer my condolences to the bereaved families," Murmu said in a post in Hindi on X.

Lieutenant Governor Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha also expressed shock and grief over the loss of lives in the Ramban road accident.

“Deeply shocked to learn of the unfortunate road accident in Ramban in which precious lives have been lost. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families. I've issued instructions to Dist Admin & Div Com to render all assistance, as provided in the rule, to the kin of victims,” he said in a post on X.

President Indian National Congress, Mallik Arjun Kharje in a post said that extremely saddened to know about the tragic accident in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, which took away 10 precious lives.

“My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. We wish a speedy and complete recovery to the injured. I urge the authorities to provide relief and compensation to the victims at the earliest,” he said.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said he spoke to DC Ramban, Baseer-ul-Haq, after learning about the tragic road accident in which a passenger taxi rolled down a deep gorge on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Battery Chashma, leading to the loss of 10 lives.

“Police, SDRF, and civil QRT have reached the spot. A rescue operation is going on. I’m in constant touch. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families,” Dr Singh said in his post on X.

Last year on November 15, 39 passengers were killed and 17 others injured as a bus fell into a deep gorge in Doda district.