KATHUA, J&K, Aug 3— Two men from Punjab were killed and three others critically injured when their SUV skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district early Sunday morning, police said.
The five occupants were part of a langar (community kitchen) service for Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and were headed to Chanderkote along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway when the accident occurred around 12:40 am near Kainta Morh on the Kathua-Basohli road.
“The vehicle veered off the road and rolled down into a gorge. Local residents rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts before emergency teams arrived,” a police official said.
All five victims were shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kathua, where Mohinder Paul (60) and Pawan Madhan (50) were declared dead on arrival. The three others — Anil Monga, Sunny Arora, and Sudhir — are undergoing treatment for serious injuries.
Officials said the group had been travelling from Punjab to provide voluntary services to Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.
