Doda, July 16 -- Five people were killed and 12 others injured when a tempo traveller skidded off the Doda-Barath road and plunged into a deep gorge near Ponda.

The ill-fated vehicle, bearing registration number JK06-4847, was carrying over a dozen passengers when it lost control and veered off the mountainous stretch, tumbling into a ravine below. The impact was so severe that three passengers died on the spot.

Eyewitnesses said the scene turned grim within moments, with cries for help echoing from the gorge. Local residents, police teams, and volunteers rushed to the site, launching a frantic rescue effort to pull the injured from the wreckage and transport them to medical facilities.

"Rescue operations began immediately, and multipl...