5 killed, 6 injured in road accident in J&K’s Kupwara district

Srinagar: Five people were killed and six others were injured on Monday in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Kupwara district.

Officials said five people were killed and six others injured after a passenger vehicle skidded off the Teetwal–Simari road and dropped into the Kishenganga river in the Karnah border area of Kupwara district on Monday.

The accident occurred in Karnah’s Simari area. The injured were first shifted to sub-district hospital Tangdhar for treatment.

They were subsequently referred to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Handwara town. The exact identities of the dead passengers and those injured in the accident are being ascertained.

J&K Lieutenant-Governor, Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives in the tragic road accident in Kupwara district.

In a post on X, L-G Manoj Sinha said, "Deeply pained by the loss of lives in an unfortunate road accident in Kupwara. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the early recovery of the injured. I have directed the District Administration to ensure best possible treatment to the injured."

Overspeeding and reckless driving are the primary causes of fatal road accidents in J&K.

Overspeeding has been identified by the traffic department and parliamentary data as the single-largest contributor to severe crashes and fatalities.

Actions like sudden overtaking, aggressive manoeuvering, and ignoring lane discipline cause deadly head-on accidents.

Hilly geography, fragile mountain roads, landslides, and seasonal monsoon or snow-related road erosion frequently lead to a loss of vehicle control.

Narrow corridors, loose soil in mountainous cutting areas, and a lack of protective crash barriers or proper service lanes compound the risk.

Inadequate monitoring and poor traffic regulation enforcement allow persistent safety violations, especially by heavy commercial vehicles.

The local traffic department has deployed special teams to hilly districts in J&K to check traffic violations that lead to loss of precious human lives.

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