15 Dead in Udhampur Bus Accident After 100-Foot Gorge Plunge

Vehicle lost control on a blind curve in J&K’s Udhampur district on Monday morning, marking a tragic Udhampur bus accident that has left at least 15 dead and several injured, with the toll feared to rise further.

At least 15 people lost their lives when a passenger bus veered off the road and plunged nearly 100 feet into a gorge in the Kagot area of Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. The accident occurred around 10 am as the vehicle negotiated a blind curve near Kagort village in the Ram Nagar belt. Officials said the bus was heading to Udhampur from a remote village.

Bus Loses Control  

The driver struggled to keep the vehicle steady on the narrow, winding stretch. Within moments, the bus slipped off the edge and tumbled down the steep slope.

Plunge Into Gorge  

It fell 100 feet before hitting the rocky terrain below and overturning. Debris scattered across the gorge as the heavily loaded public transport bus came to a halt in a mangled state.

Rescue Efforts Intensify  

A major rescue operation swung into action immediately. Local residents, security forces and cranes rushed to the spot to pull out survivors and recover bodies. The terrain made the work difficult, yet teams worked without pause.

Injured in Critical State  

Several passengers were shifted from the site to hospitals in Udhampur. Many remain in critical condition. Medical teams are providing emergency care, and authorities have warned that the death toll may increase as more information emerges from the scene.

CM Offers Condolences  

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed condolences over the tragedy. He said he was deeply saddened by the road accident involving the passenger bus travelling from Ramnagar to Udhampur.

Minister Shares Update  

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh confirmed in a social media post that the vehicle was a public transport bus. He conveyed his sympathies to the families of the victims.

Road Mishap Highlights Risks  

This Udhampur bus accident has once again drawn attention to the hazards of travel on hilly roads in the region. Blind curves, steep drops and heavy passenger loads often combine to create dangerous conditions, especially on routes connecting remote villages to district headquarters. In the latest news today, such incidents serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by commuters in Jammu and Kashmir.  

Rescue teams continue to comb the area even as the injured receive treatment. Families of the deceased have begun arriving at hospitals. The focus now remains on providing immediate support to those affected and ensuring that every possible effort is made to handle the aftermath of this devastating Udhampur bus accident.

Omar Abdullah Rejects Tricolour Ribbon Cut at J&K Event

Chief Minister asks organisers to preserve ribbon with respect during Srinagar handicrafts expo inauguration, moment goes viral

Ribbon Refusal Sparks Buzz

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday refused to cut a tricolour-striped ribbon at the inauguration of a handicrafts exhibition in Srinagar. He directed organisers to untie and safely preserve it instead. The incident, captured on camera at Kashmir Haat, quickly spread across social media.

Calm Untying Gesture

Abdullah approached the saffron, white and green ribbon during the 'Know Your Artisans' event but paused upon noticing its colours. Sources indicated he handed it back politely, stressing the need to treat it with respect. The two-day handloom expo proceeded smoothly thereafter.

Accompanied by Key Leaders

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and adviser Nasir Aslam Wani joined Abdullah at the venue. Officials confirmed the ceremony continued without delay after the ribbon's removal. Visuals showed the chief minister interacting warmly with artisans post-inauguration.

Past Tiranga Advocacy

Abdullah has long championed respect for the national flag. In August 2025, he led a Tiranga Yatra at Dal Lake, calling the Tricolour a "living symbol of unity, peace and harmony". He urged citizens to uphold its ideals of secularism and brotherhood, drawing from historical struggles to hoist it freely.

Official Emphasis on Flag Prestige

During that event, Abdullah recounted how one individual's fight changed flag-hoisting rules in India. "We should uphold the prestige of the national flag; it is our identity," he stated then, as per reports. Wednesday's gesture aligns with this stance, according to close aides.

INDIA Bloc Meeting Looms

Speaking to reporters post-event, Abdullah confirmed attending a 3 pm INDIA bloc meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's Delhi residence. "We cannot act alone; the bloc must decide our parliamentary response," he said on latest news today from the India news update scene.

Delimitation Doubts Raised

On the proposed delimitation Bill, Abdullah questioned its benefits. He alleged the 2023 J&K exercise favoured BJP allies through seat allocations and voter shifts. "It remains to be seen if this aids the common voter," he remarked, highlighting concerns in this public interest story.

Public Reaction Builds

Social media users praised Abdullah's sensitivity, with many sharing the viral clip. Political observers see it as a nod to constitutional respect amid J&K's evolving dynamics. No formal complaint arose from organisers, who complied promptly.

Policy Implications Emerge

The episode underscores sensitivities around national symbols in official events, especially post-Article 370 changes. It reinforces protocols for Tricolour use, as outlined in the Flag Code of India. Event planners now face scrutiny on ribbon choices for future functions.

Parliament Path Ahead

As INDIA bloc leaders convene, eyes remain on opposition strategy against delimitation. National Conference sources expect a unified front in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha debates.

"God Saved Me" — Farooq Abdullah Narrows Escapes Assassin's Bullet at Jammu Wedding

At approximately 10:30 PM on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, National Conference president and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was leaving a wedding reception at Royal Park in Jammu's Greater Kailash area when a man stepped out from the crowd behind him, raised a revolver, and fired.

A single National Security Guard commando deflected the weapon at the last instant. The bullet missed. Abdullah — 87 years old, a three-time Chief Minister, a former Union Minister, and one of the most protected politicians in India under Z+ NSG security cover — walked away unhurt.

The accused, 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, was immediately overpowered, beaten by the crowd, and taken into police custody. What he told investigators afterwards sent shockwaves through the country.

"I have been trying to kill Farooq Abdullah for the last twenty years," Jamwal told police during questioning. "It was my personal mission to kill him. Today I got the opportunity but he survived. I have a personal weapon which I used in the firing."

He said it without remorse. Sitting on a chair. The video circulated on social media within hours.

How Close It Was: An Eyewitness Account

The CCTV footage of the attack has been verified by ANI and is now widely circulated. The sequence it captures is chilling in its simplicity and its proximity.

"We were all sitting together. Dr. Sahib said it was time to leave," said Rakesh Singh, an eyewitness at the venue. "As we were standing up, a man approached from behind and pointed a revolver at his head. A security officer intervened in time, pushing the gun up, and it was discharged."

Abdullah recounted the moment himself: "The assailant had managed to get right behind my neck. At the last minute, he was overpowered by the security personnel, including the NSG. I was immediately put into my car and driven away safely," he said, adding simply: "I am fine and God has saved me."

The wedding, as it happens, was not a public rally or a political event. It was the wedding ceremony of the daughter of the National Conference's Legal Cell President Wikipedia — a private family function, attended by senior political figures including J&K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and adviser to the CM Nasir Sogami.

Who Is Kamal Singh Jamwal?

Police have initiated a detailed probe into the antecedents of the 63-year-old Jamwal, examining his personal, social and possible organisational links to ascertain the full motive behind the firing incident.

What is already known: Jamwal is a native of Jammu, born in 1963, a businessman by profession who owns several shops in Jammu's Old City area in the Purani Mandi neighbourhood. Wikipedia He is not a known militant operative, has no recorded terrorism links, and — significantly — the weapon he used was not smuggled. A .32 revolver was recovered from his possession. It was a licensed weapon.

Initial investigation found that the shot was fired while the accused was reportedly in an inebriated state NPR — though investigators are being careful not to reduce this to a simple case of drunken violence given Jamwal's explicit twenty-year premeditation statement on video.

The motive declared by Jamwal is personal — a two-decade-old grievance against Farooq Abdullah. What that grievance is, and whether any organisation or network is connected to it, is the central question police are now urgently probing.

Omar Abdullah's Alarm: "More Questions Than Answers"

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Farooq's son, drove straight to his father's residence after learning of the attack. His public statement was a careful balance of relief and anger — directed not at the attacker, but at the system that allowed the attacker to get so close.

"There are more questions than answers at the moment, including how someone was able to get this close to a Z+ NSG-protected former CM," Omar wrote on X. He added that his father had a "very close shave" and that it was only the close protection team that deflected the shot and ensured the assassination attempt failed.

The question Omar Abdullah is asking is the right one — and it demands a direct answer. Z+ NSG security, the highest level of personal protection available in India, is supposed to make this kind of attack impossible. Multiple layers of security personnel, advance sweeps of venues, perimeter control — all of it should have ensured that a 63-year-old businessman with a revolver could never get within arm's reach of a protected protectee at a semi-public function.

Following the incident, top officials immediately began reviewing the security of all central government protectees in Jammu and Kashmir. Measures to further tighten protection are underway, including the upgrading of jammers used in convoys.

Political Reaction: Condemnation Across Party Lines

The political response has been swift and united in condemnation — regardless of party affiliation.

J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra described the attack as "deeply disturbing" and raised "serious concerns about the prevailing security scenario in the region," calling for accountability from those entrusted with maintaining law and order.

J&K Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma confirmed that the government considered the incident a "serious security lapse" and stated that foolproof security must be provided to leaders who have made the greatest sacrifices for the country.

Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the attack and called for a thorough independent probe.

The Larger Security Question: J&K's Uneasy Normal

This incident arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for Jammu & Kashmir. The Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the conversion of the state to a Union Territory, and the restoration of elected government under Omar Abdullah in late 2024 were collectively projected as a new chapter of normalcy and stability for the region.

An assassination attempt on the father of the sitting Chief Minister — at a private wedding, in the heart of Jammu city, by a local resident with a licensed weapon — is not the image of normalcy that either the J&K administration or the Central government can afford.

The incident is already prompting a broader security review of all Z+ protectees across the Union Territory and a hard look at how private social functions are secured when senior political figures attend them.

The Bottom Line

Farooq Abdullah is safe. An NSG commando's quick hands and quicker reflexes are the reason. Had that intervention been a second slower, India would be waking up to the assassination of one of its most consequential political figures — a man who navigated the darkest years of J&K's militancy, held the state together through multiple crises, and survived to see his son become Chief Minister.

Kamal Singh Jamwal sits in custody at Gangyal police station with a case of attempt to murder registered against him The Washington Post — the weapon recovered, the video viral, the confession on record.

But the investigation has barely begun. A man with a twenty-year grievance, a licensed revolver, and access to the personal space of India's most heavily guarded politicians is not a lone wolf story. It is a security failure story. And J&K — and the nation — deserves to know every chapter of it.