June 21, 2002	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, June 20: At least six Pakistan army personnel were killed and eight others wounded when a vehicle they were on board fell from a road in Neelum valley in northeast of Muzaffarabad on Thursday, official sources said.

Witnesses said that the vehicle, after falling from the road, hit the rocky bank of river Neelum, which flows along the road.

Six of those on board died on the spot and eight others were critically injured, of whom, six were brought to the Combined Military Hospital in the evening. Sources said the military authorities were probing the cause of the accident.

The accident occurred on Karen bypass, few kilometres ahead of the town of Athmuqam, tehsil headquarters of Neelum valley.

Athmuqam is around 80 kilometres from Muzaffarabad by the main Neelum valley road, which, however, is closed for vehicular traffic since long because of Indian shelling. Residents of the valley have to take an extra journey of 35 kilometres to reach Athmuqam through an alternative route, Lesva bypass.