Five people were killed and six others injured when a Tata Sumo skidded off the Teetwal-Simari road and plunged into a gorge in the Karnah sector of Kupwara district on September 28, officials said. The vehicle was on its way through the mountainous stretch when the driver apparently lost control.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Idrees (32), his wife Sayeed Begum (30), their daughter Hamza (9), Shabir Ahmad (70) and Raja Irshad (27). The injured were evacuated to the Sub-District Hospital in Tangdhar, from where several were referred to the Government Medical College in Handwara for specialised treatment.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Police have registered a case and begun an investigation into the cause of the accident.

The Teetwal-Simari road winds through steep terrain where accidents are frequent, particularly in wet conditions. Authorities have repeatedly urged drivers to exercise caution on the narrow mountain stretches of the Karnah sector.