MUZAFFARABAD: Three tourists from Lahore and their local driver were killed and three others were injured after their vehicle plunged in a river in Neelum valley on Wednesday.

In another road accident in the jurisdiction of Muzaffarabad district, four people were killed and as many injured when their jeep fell hundreds of feet down from a narrow hilly road in the evening, officials said.

The tourists from Lahore were travelling towards the famous tourist destination of Arhang Kel in a five-door Pajero jeep they had hired from Muzaffarabad early morning when the accident occurred near a place known as Kel Seri at about 2pm, assistant commissioner Sharda Asif Gardezi told Dawn.

Arhang Kel is situated at a distance of 165 kilometres from Muzaffarabad in the upper belt of picturesque Neelum valley.

As the vehicle fell into the river, four of its passengers fell onto the riverbank and were critically injured, while the rest, including the driver, were swept away by the violent current.

Of the injured persons, one succumbed to his wounds in a local health facility, Mr Gardezi said, adding the other three were being treated and were unable to record any statement.

He said that it was still unclear what caused the vehicle to veer off course and fall into the river that flows all along the Neelum valley road.

Till the filing of this report, the vehicle or any of the bodies could not be retrieved.

The deceased were identified as Waqas Bashir, Amjad Maseeh, Shoaib Maseeh, and Hamid.

The other accident occurred near Chatteyan village in the jurisdiction of Panjgran police Station after 7pm.

Four people died on the spot while four others were injured.

The jeep was carrying passengers to a remote village, namely Treda Chattian, through a dangerous hilly road originating from Patikka, local police official Raja Tufail told Dawn.

The deceased were identified as Qasim Jan, wife of Kalu, Fawad and Usman, sons of Ali Akbar, and Shiraz, son of Sharif.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2017