Poonch:Fourteen people including six girls and seven male students were injured when an `overloaded; Eeco Van skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge in Mendhar area of Poonch district on Sunday.
Official sources said the accident took place near Keri Kangra in Mendhar Sub Division when the driver of the Eeco Van bearing registration number JK12C-O613, lost control over it and the vehicle rolled down into a gorge, resulting the injuries to 14 people including eight males.Among injured, 13 are minors and one major. They were immediately rushed to SDH Mendhar by the locals and police.
BMO Mendhar, Dr Parvez Ahmed Khan confirmed that 14 injured people were received at the Sub District Hospital. He said two of them have been shifted to GMC Rajouri for advanced treatment.
The injured have been identified as Mishba Kousar (16), daughter of Mohd Mohd Faiz from Keri Galuta; Fahim Kouser (15), daughter of Abdul Gafar Khan from Keri Galutta; Zahira (20), daughter of Mazhar Khan from Keri Galuta; Qasid Rashid (15), son of Mohd Rashid from Keri Galuta; Abid Hussain (16), son of Mohd Sadeeq from Kangra village; Danish Shah (17), son of Matloob Shah from Kangra; Rukhsana Kouser (15), daughter of Mohd Hanief from Kangra village; Muskan Basharat (14), daughter of Mohd Hanief from Kangra; Uzma Kouser (16), daughter of Mohd Reyaz from Kangra; Mujtaba Shah (20), daughter of Sarfraz Hussain from Kangra; Hassan Ali Shah (16), son of Kabir Ali Shah from Kangra; Asees Ahmad (16), son of Abdul Gafar from Kangra; Mohammed Liyaqat, son of Mohd Sharief from Kangra and Mohd Zamran (25), son of Mohd Shabir, resident of Kangra in Mendhar.
Later, Zahira and Ruksana were referred to GMC Rajouri. A police official told that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up.
Meanwhile, locals accused Traffic police of having failed to check over crowding in the vehicles, leading to accidents in the area. They urged higher authorities to look into the matter and ensure that there is no over loading in the vehicles in order to avoid such mishaps.