Road mishap kills 15 people in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

At least 15 people lost their lives and two others received injuries when a passenger jeep fell hundreds of feet down on road along the Neelum River in Pakistan-administered Kashmir region, said an official on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner of Muzaffarabad district Nadeem Janjua in a statement to media said that the passenger jeep plummeted hundreds of feet down the road onto the bank of the Neelum River due to a technical fault. He confirmed that 15 people, including women, lost their lives and two others received injuries. All passengers belonged to Lawat Bala village in Muzaffarabad district in the upper belt of Neelum Valley. After falling from the main road, the vehicle first struck the bypass road and tumbled further down to the riverbank, stopping just short of plunging into the river, said the official. "Initial assessment suggests that the tie-rod of the passenger jeep broke, causing the driver to lose control," said Janjua, adding that the dead and injured were shifted to the nearest medical fac ility. The rescue teams carried a rescue operation which was significantly hampered due to heavy rainfall. Earlier last month, around 17 people, including six tourists, drowned when an automobile plunged into Neelum River. Source: Kuwait News Agency