Ramban: An over 82 passengers including women and children had a narrow escape on Sunday morning when an overloaded bus, in which they were traveling from Jammu turned turtle near Khooni Nallah on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in the Ramban district of the Union Territory.
The injured hailed from Bareily in Uttar Pradesh and they were on way to Kashmir to work as labourers. They included 35 men, 20 women and 27 children.
Five of the seriously injured passengers were shifted to the Government run district hospital at Ramban. One of the injured had his arm severed from his body, sources said.
The driver appears to have lost control over the steering while negotiating a turn, sources said, adding that he fled from the spot leaving the injured in lurch.
However, the victims had a providential escape as the bus after turning turtle on the road stopped short of falling into a deep gorge on the roadside.
Road Opening Parties of the Territorial Army and CRPF personnel who were present in the area immediately swung into action and rescued passengers who were struck inside the bus. They provided first aid to the injured and rushed the serious ones to the hospital.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case into the matter.