A tragic school van accident in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Jhelum Valley injured 29 students and their driver on Tuesday. The incident occurred when the van skidded off a mountainous road near Tambrial Mor, highlighting ongoing concerns about road safety in the region’s hilly terrain.
Van Loses Control Near Sharp Bend
The van, belonging to the private Islamia Public School in Chikar, was returning students home when it lost control after a curve and plunged down a steep slope. According to SSP Mirza Zahid Hussain, the crash injured nearly everyone on board.
Chikar, a scenic hill station located at 5,272 feet above sea level and 46 km from Muzaffarabad, continues regular school operations during summer, unlike other areas. This makes school transport active even during hot months.
Emergency Response and Medical Aid
Emergency teams rushed the injured to hospitals. Sixteen children received treatment at the Chikar Tehsil Headquarters Hospital and were discharged shortly after. Thirteen others were taken to Haitian Bala District Headquarters Hospital. Of them, four—including the driver—were moved to Muzaffarabad’s Combined Military Hospital due to serious injuries. Two remain admitted in Haitian Bala.
“The rest of the children have been sent home,” SSP Hussain confirmed.
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Locals Help Prevent Greater Tragedy
A video from the scene showed the overturned van lodged on a forested slope, with residents rushing to rescue the children. SSP Hussain noted that tall trees prevented the van from tumbling further, potentially saving many lives.
Recurring Road Tragedies in AJK
Accidents on AJK’s mountainous roads remain frequent. Last week, six family members died in Neelum Valley after their car fell into a river gorge. In May, five AJK police officials were killed when their vehicle plunged into a ravine in the Poonch division.
These recurring incidents continue to raise alarms about unsafe roads, vehicle maintenance, and the urgent need for better safety regulations in the region’s treacherous terrain.
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