Same road, another mishap, 2 more killed

Syed Ali Safvi

SRINAGAR, Mar 29: Today was supposed to be Madeeha’s first day at crunch, but little did her parents know that by the end of the day she would have spent over five hours not in a 10x12 class room, but in a two feet wide, five feet deep dark grave.

Madeeha, 2, and her mother, Nusrat Jan, were crushed to death by a speedy tipper at Abu Turab chowk at Sepden in central Kashmir’s Budgam district..

This is the second fatal mishap in less than two weeks on a bloody stretch between Bemina and Mirgund (Budgam).

Protests:
Massive protests continued overnight in Sepden, Bemina, and Mirgund areas against the killing of the mother-daughter duo. The irate youth took to streets early this morning and restricted vehicular movement on roads demanding a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles in the area. They also shouted slogans and demanded the tippers be given alternative route in order to save precious lives.

The protestors accused the district administration of failing to keep a check on the movement of heavy vehicles in the area.

According to eyewitnesses, a team of police had visited the area this morning, but they were chased away by angry mob.

The mishap:
A tipper, bearing registration number JK04-7922 driven by Shabir Ahmad Bhat son of Farooq Ahmad resident of Hakermulla Budgam hit a scooter carrying four members of a family: Rouf Ahmad Shah, son of Abdul Aziz of Daniwara Chattabal, his wife Nusrat Jan, and his two daughters at Abu Turrab Chowk Sepdan in Budgam district. Nusrat and her two-year-old daughter, Madeeha, died on spot. Their bodies were badly mutilated.

Rouf and his another daughter, Maleeha, were rushed to Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla for treatment. Both the shoulders of Rouf are said to be fractured and he may be shifted to SKIMS tomorrow for further treatment. However, condition of the father-daughter duo is stated to be out of danger.

The tipper driver, who had fled from the scene with his vehicle, was later arrested by a police team headed by SHO Budgam from his residence at Hakarmulla. The team also seized the vehicle.

The police have registered a case under section 304-A, and started further proceedings.

Conflicting accounts:
According to eyewitnesses, the scooter was caught in between the two tippers who were overtaking each other. It got crushed between the tippers. Both the tippers fled from the scene, they told Kashmir Times.

“After the dust settled, we saw two bodies lying in a pool of blood on the middle of the road. They were badly mutilated,” they said.

According to eye witnesses, the accident occurred at 7:00 pm. Pertinently, the movement of tippers is restricted from 8:30 to 10:30 in the morning and from 3:30 to 5:30 in the evening.

However, SSP Budgam, Aftab Ahmad Kakroo, said that the accident occurred at 8:00pm.

“We have been informed that the motorcyclist was trying to overtake the tipper at the time of the mishap,” he told Kashmir Times.

He said that the police had arrested the tipper driver last night and he is under police custody.

“We will produce challan before the court within a week,” he said.

Aftab said that he had arrested two minors who were caught driving tippers without license.

“I have directed cops to seize the vehicle if it is driven by a minor, or by a person without license,” he said.

They alleged that they were heading for Sepden this evening when they were lathicharged by police.


Family sources:

Rouf’s brother received a call at 7:10 pm yesterday. It was Rouf on the other side.

“Me moklyow ayal (I lost my family),” Rouf told his brother.

The family members of Rouf, who appreciated the support they received from the people of Sepdan and its adjoining areas, demand justice.

“Madeeha was supposed to go to school today. We could not see her dead,” they said.


March 17, 2010:
A nine-year old boy – on his way to Madrasa (religious school) - had died on March 17, 2001 when a rashly driven tipper, bearing registration number JK01F/0904, ran over him. The boy was shifted to SKIMS Soura where he succumbed to his injuries. A case under FIR no 659/010 was registered at police post Bemina.