MUZAFFARABAD: Seven women and two children were killed, and at least 10 others injured, in two road accidents in Muzaffarabad district late on Saturday and Sunday, police said.

Incidentally, both vehicles — which crashed within the jurisdictions of Garhi Dupatta and Danna police stations — were carrying wedding parties.

According to Garhi Dupatta Station House Officer (SHO) Raja Zahid Umar, an altered Toyota jeep carrying 28 people was travelling between Tagyan Bandi and Parrak village when it plunged some 200 feet down an unpaved link road near Mera Paprosa village at around 1:30pm on Sunday.

“The accident occurred when the driver was giving way to another vehicle coming from the opposite direction,” SHO Umar said.

Four women and a young boy were killed as a result of the accident, he added, identifying the deceased as Bibi, daughter of Rafique; Shamim, wife of Yousuf; Kharshad, wife of Maqsood; Sarwar Jan, wife of Mohammad Hassan; and eight-year-old Subhan, son of Tasleem Hashmi.

In the earlier accident, another wedding party travelling from Chamankot in Bagh district to Danna in Muzaffarabad district met with tragedy shortly before reaching its destination.

The vehicle veered off the narrow link road in Pannu Galli village at about 8:50pm on Saturday.

According to Danna SHO Asghar Abbasi, the driver, reluctant to navigate the narrow stretch, had been persuaded by passengers to proceed — a decision that proved fatal.

The deceased were identified as Shazia, 40, wife of Mohammad Ishfaq; Bushra Bibi, 38, wife of Mohammad Aslam (residents of Haripur); Shahan Babar, 13, son of Mohammad Babar (resident of Chamankot); and Iqra Bibi, 21, daughter of Mohammad Naseer (resident of Murree). They died either at the scene or en route to hospital.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2025