Akhnoor bus accident: Govt suspends DySP Traffic Rural Jammu

Jammu, June 21: J&K government, taking serious cognizance of Akhnoor bus accident, has placed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Traffic Rural, Jammu under suspension, pending enquiry into his conduct for dereliction of duties.

During the period of suspension, the officer will remain attached with Police Headquarters, J&K.

Twenty-two pilgrims, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, on way from Hathras in UP to Shivkhori shrine in Reasi district, were killed and sixty-nine others were injured when an overloaded bus, they were travelling in, fell into a deep gorge near Tanda in Akhnoor of Jammu district on May 30, 2024.

Six children and eight women were among the dead.

“In terms of Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956 and pending enquiry into his conduct and dereliction of duties, Satish Kumar, DySP Traffic Rural, Jammu, is hereby placed under suspension, with immediate effect. During the period of suspension, the officer shall remain attached with Police Headquarters, J&K,” read an order issued by Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti.

Earlier on May 31, a day after the tragedy, J&K government, in a move to fix accountability in this case, had placed six officials posted in the office of Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Kathua under suspension for “dereliction of duty.”

While effecting suspension order, J&K Transport department had also ordered an inquiry to look into aspects of dereliction and non-performance of duties on part of these officials.

Additional Secretary (Technical), Secretariat of Road Safety Council, J&K Paramvir Singh was appointed as Inquiry Officer and was asked to submit the report within seven days.

“Pending enquiry into the conduct and dereliction of duties, these officials posted in the office of Regional Transport Officer, Kathua (Headquarter Lakhanpur) are placed under suspension with immediate effect and are attached in the office of Transport Commissioner, J&K, Jammu,” an order issued by Secretary Transport Department Niraj Kumar, while referring to duty roster for MVD Check Post Lakhanpur issued under endorsement No. RTO/K/2023-24/3494-97 by RTO Kathua (HQ Lakhanpur), had read.

The suspended officials were Ranjeev Bhasin, Motor Vehicle Inspector; Sumit Magotra, Junior Assistant; Ashwani Kumar, MTS; Aman Kumar, MTS; Keshav Singh, MTS and Rakesh Kumar, MTS.
Prior to it, on May 30 evening, District Magistrate Jammu Sachin Kumar Vaishya too had ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate the cause of this (Akhnoor) accident. Additional District Magistrate, Jammu Shishir Gupta was appointed as Inquiry Officer. He too was given seven days to submit his inquiry report.