CRPF jawan, among three dead, in highway accident

Banihal (JK): Three people, including a CRPF jawan, were killed and another jawan injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district, the police said.

The vehicle, on its way to Jammu from Srinagar, belonged to Justice M K Hanjura of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, a police spokesman said.

The judge was not travelling in the vehicle as he was scheduled to travel by air, he said.

The vehicle fell into the 200-metre gorge near Kela Morh, 7 km from Ramban town, around 9.45 am.

Rescuers immediately swung into action and rushed the four injured to a hospital, where one of them was declared brought dead and two others succumbed to their injuries, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ramban, Mohan Lal, said.

The deceased were identified as a personal security officer (PSO) of the judge, constable Ajit Singh (34) of 175th battalion CRPF, driver Vinod Kumar (35) and cook Hukum Chand (39), the SSP said.

Another PSO, also a CRPF jawan, was injured in the accident and is undergoing treatment, he added.