Sick Teen’s vehicle stuck for hours in mud, dies en route to hospital

RAJOURI/JAMMU, Aug 8: A 17-year-old girl died while being taken to hospital after the vehicle carrying her remained stuck for nearly three hours in mud caused by a landslide on a road in Rajouri district, prompting the district administration to suspend a PMGSY official and order a detailed inquiry.

The girl, from remote Methyani village, fell seriously ill on Friday and was being taken to Government Medical College (GMC), Rajouri, when the vehicle got stranded at Chak Methyani due to a mudslide triggered by heavy rains. Despite efforts by local volunteers to clear the way and pull out the vehicle, her condition deteriorated and she died while being taken to the hospital, officials said.

The Chak Methyani-Panglar-Kotecharwal road, the only link connecting several remote villages, was washed away during last year’s monsoon and had subsequently been restored temporarily. The same stretch was hit by a mudslide around two weeks ago, leaving the PMGSY road unmotorable.

The incident sparked anger among locals, who accused authorities of failing to restore the road despite repeated requests. A video related to the incident was also widely circulated on social media.

The administration said the Executive Engineer, PMGSY Division Rajouri, had informed it through an official WhatsApp group that the road had been restored and was trafficable. However, a subsequent verification by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kotranka, found the road in extremely poor condition, with landslides and deep ditches making it unfit for vehicular movement.

Taking serious note of the report, District Development Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma ordered the immediate suspension of the Assistant Executive Engineer, PMGSY Sub-Division Kalakote, pending inquiry. The official has been directed to report to the ADC, Kotranka.

The DDC also sought an explanation from the Executive Engineer over alleged misreporting and failure to ensure timely restoration, and withheld his salary pending further orders.

The Additional District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, has been directed to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report within seven days. (Agencies)