MUZAFFARABAD: More than 25 tourists, mostly students from Punjab, were swept away when a bridge collapsed in the Neelum Valley of Azad Kashmir on Sunday.

According to the police, the bridge collapsed due to overload when the touring students from Punjab were crossing it in Kundal Shai area.

Officials said between 20 to 25 tourists were standing together in the middle of Kundal Shahi bridge to take a picture but bridge that was already in a dilapidated condition, collapsed due to their overweight. They fell in river swept way by strong current. TV channels reported that tourists including women and children, were taking pictures at the dilapidated bridge over Nullah Jagran before tragedy.

A rescue operation is underway at Nala Jagran in the vicinity of a hydel-power project built on River Neelum in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The rescue teams approached the venue and recovered 13 people so far while 05 dead bodies have been sent to for post-mortem. Rescue workers said death toll might rise as the tourists were swept away by fast moving strong currents. One of the rescue officials said search to recover the rest is underway. Police and army personnel participated in the rescue operation.

The injured have been shifted to District Headquarter Hospital Authmuqam and Army Medical Centre at Jhamber.

Police sources said the victims are most probably the students of two medical colleges from Lahore and Faisalabad who were touring the scenic Neelum valley.

Deputy Commissioner Neelum, Raja Shahid Mahmood, said the bridge was overcrowded when it collapsed. He said six people have been rescued so far.

Deaths of three students of a Faisalabad college have been confirmed. They have been identified as Shahzeb, Abdur Rehman and Muhammad Zubai, all students of college in Faisalabad.

The father of an injured medical student from Sahiwal suggested that administration of Azad Jammu and Kashmir should have a mechanism to inform people in such cases of emergency. “I saw the news on TV,” he lamented and further said his daughter is injured and he learnt this not from the government but from a policeman. Such accidents happen but there should be a mechanism on part of the government.

Neelum Valley is a popular tourist spot, especially in summers. A large number of people from in and outside of Pakistan throng here because of its cool weather and scenic beauty. The Kundal Shahi bridge was built eight years ago.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has expressed grief and sorrow over the incident in Neelum Valley.

In a statement, he directed the concerned authorities to make utmost efforts in rescue operation.—NNI