One person killed, another went missing, and two sustained injuries after a car plunged into the River Chenab following a collision between two private vehicles near the Warva Bridge area of Kishtwar on the Batote–Kishtwar National Highway (NH-244) on Monday morning.
According to officials, the accident occurred when an Alto car (registration number JK14B-9208) collided with a Kia car (registration number JK02CD-6124) from the rear near Warra Pul. The impact caused the Kia vehicle to skid off the road and fall into the River Chenab, where it was quickly submerged in the strong current.Soon after the mishap, rescue teams comprising personnel from the Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Red Cross volunteers rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
Three injured persons were immediately shifted to District Hospital Kishtwar for treatment. The injured were identified as Rajat Kumar (30), son of Raj Kumar, resident of Wassar Kishtwar, and Sushma Devi (50), wife of Chandan Badyal, also from Wassar Kishtwar.
A critically injured person, Sumit Sharma (29), son of Ashok Sharma of Thatri, Doda, was referred to Government Medical College and Hospital Doda for advanced treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries. After post-mortem and completion of legal formalities, his body was handed over to his family for last rites.
Officials said it was not immediately clear how many people were travelling in the submerged car at the time of the accident. However, rescuers, locals reported that Baljeet Singh (52), resident of Gandoh, the owner of the vehicle, remains missing.
Officials said Baljeet Singh was working as section officer (SO) in Planning department in Kishtwar.
A joint search and rescue operation is currently underway in the River Chenab to trace the missing person and the submerged vehicle.
Police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of law at Police Station Kishtwar and initiated further investigation.
