At least ten passengers were killed when a passenger taxi they were travelling in skidded off and plunged into a deep gorge on Friday morning in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Police told UNI that the passenger taxi on its way from Jammu to Srinagar met with an accident and fell into around 800-feet deep gorge near the Battery Chashma area of the district.

"A passenger taxi rolled down a deep gorge on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Battery Chashma in Ramban area. Police, SDRF and civil QRT Ramban reached on spot, rescue operation is going on," J&K Police posted on X.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that he spoke to DC Ramban, Baseer-ul-Haq, after learning about the tragic road accident in which a passenger taxi rolled down a deep gorge on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Battery Chashma, leading to the loss of 10 lives.

"Police, SDRF, and civil QRT have reached the spot. Rescue operation is going on. I’m in constant touch. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families," Dr Singh said in his post on X.

Meanwhile, police said that the rescue operation is in progress and the identities of the deceased persons are being ascertained. The deceased individuals are suspected to be labourers heading towards Srinagar.

(With UNI Inputs)