Toll in Boniyar road mishap reaches 10 with 2 more deaths

Baramulla, Feb 1: The death toll account in Boniyar road mishap has reached 10 after 2 critically injured persons succumbed at SKIMS Srinagar on Thursday.

The deceased are both residents of Bujthalla Boniyar, of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

The deceased were earlier shifted to SKIMS Srinagar from Government Medical College Baramulla following critical head injury in the road mishap, however, the duo breathed their last on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, a passenger cab carrying 15 passengers plunged into a deep gorge at Bujthalla village of Boniyar in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, leaving 8 persons dead and causing injuries to seven others.

The injured were shifted to PHC Boniyar, where 7 persons were declared dead on arrival. The 8 other injured persons were shifted to GMC Baramulla where one of the injured later succumbed.

An official of the GMC Baramulla said that 5 critically injured passengers were shifted to SKIMS Srinagar for specialised treatment. However, two of them later succumbed.

“Two critically injured persons had succumbed at SKIMS Srinagar, taking the death toll to 10,” confirmed Dr Ruby Reshi, Principal GMC Baramulla.
The Baramulla district administration has already initiated an inquiry into the incident, which is believed to have been caused due to the cramming of passengers in the cab.

The accident evoked strong resentment among the people of the area who believe that there is no accountability in the overloading practice of passenger vehicles, especially in the hilly areas.

Notably in 2013, a passenger vehicle under similar circumstances, plunged into a deep gorge at Barnard Boniyar, causing death to 9 persons and injuries to 4 others.

Following the Bujthalla road mishap, the Baramulla district administration has started a massive drive against the traffic violators and on Thursday, 55 challans were issued against the traffic violators.