Jammu/Bhubaneswar: In a tragic mishap, three pilgrims from Odisha were among four killed while another sustained critical injury in a road accident near Katra during a visit to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
As per information received from Katra, the accident took place near Serli village in Katra on Tuesday when an auto-rickshaw carrying four pilgrims from Serli Helipad collided head-on with a passenger bus coming from the opposite direction.
The Auto driver and two pilgrims reportedly died on the spot while another female pilgrim succumbed to her injuries during treatment at Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Jammu.
Three deceased and injured reportedly hailed from Tarbha area in Odisha’s Sonepur district. They reportedly gone to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on a pilgrimage tour. However, while returning they became victims of tragic road accident following an auto-rickshaw-bus collision near Katra.
According to police, the auto-rickshaw was coming from helipad side towards Katra and the passenger bus was on way from Katra to Udhampur when the collision took place, resulting into on the spot death of two pilgrims and the auto driver.
The injured were rushed to nearby health centre and later referred to GMC Jammu in view of their serious condition. During treatment at GMC Jammu, one of them succumbed to her injuries.
As per reports, the deceased included Jeet Lal, age 50 years (driver of the auto). The victims from Odisha were identified as Bichitra Kumar (67), Jogindra Mahari (66) and Kabita Sahu (58 years), who died at GMC Jammu. All of them were residents of Sonepur district in Odisha.
The injured, identified as Snehalata Mahari (56), also from Sonepur, is undergoing treatment at GMC Jammu and her condition was stated to be stable.
At the time of accident, the three-seater auto was carrying four pilgrims, who were on way to Katra from helipad after performing Darshan at Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine.
Police have taken cognizance of the matter and registered a case in this connection besides initiating further legal formalities