Srinagar, Apr 12: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Saturday expressed his anguish over the bus accident at Handwara in which two young students lost their lives while 22 others were injured.
LG Sinha conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed to the Almighty to give the bereaved families the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
“The news of the death of two young students in the Handwara college bus accident is extremely heartbreaking. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved family members. Praying for the early recovery of the injured,” the LG posted on microblogging site X.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed profound grief over the accident.
“The loss of two young, promising students in this unfortunate incident is a tragedy that weighs heavily on all of us. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families during this hour of immense grief. I also pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring all necessary assistance,” the CM’s Office said in a post on X.
Acting on the CM’s directions, Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, along with Cabinet Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar, visited Handwara hospital to oversee the treatment of the injured students.
CM’s Advisor and the minister interacted with doctors and medical staff, directing the hospital administration to ensure quality care and close monitoring of the patient’s recovery.
Earlier, Advisor Wani also visited SMHS Hospital Srinagar, where some of the injured students had been shifted for specialised treatment.
He reviewed the medical arrangements, spoke with healthcare professionals, and emphasised the need for uninterrupted and effective medical attention.
Later in the day, Minister Javaid Dar and Advisor Wani also visited the residences of the deceased students to personally offer condolences to the bereaved families.
The CM has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs1 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased students, Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured, and Rs 25,000 for students with minor injuries, as part of immediate government support.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo also expressed grief and sorrow over the accident.
Expressing deep shock over the accident, she said, “My heart goes out to the family of the girls who lost their precious lives in this heart-breaking incident.”
Itoo also prayed for strength for bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.
The minister urged Director SKIMS, Principal GMC Handwara, Director of Health Services Kashmir, and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kupwara to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured students.
She asked the Director SKIMS to personally monitor the critically injured students at the facility and ensure their effective treatment.
Itoo asked other hospital administrations to prioritise the medical care of the injured students at their respective health facilities and offer all necessary support to the victims and their families.
