A tragic accident on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway on Thursday claimed the lives of two 17-year-old boys, Hamad and Asim Sofi, and left two others injured, one critically. The incident occurred in Tengpora when a speeding Thar SUV, attempting to overtake a parked truck, lost control and collided with a divider. CCTV footage revealed that the victims, all Class 11 students from DPS Srinagar, were racing two SUVs after attending their school’s annual day celebrations. The footage of the crash has since gone viral.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his sorrow over the accident, emphasizing the dangers of reckless driving. He shared his condolences on X, stating, “Speed thrills but kills,” and called for greater awareness to prevent such tragedies. Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also urged stricter enforcement of traffic laws and a ban on underage driving, stressing that reckless behavior and stunts on the road are avoidable and need decisive action from authorities.
The tragedy follows a similar incident in Dehradun just days earlier, where six college students died in a high-speed car crash near ONGC Chowk. Reports indicated the involvement of speeding and alcohol, further underscoring the urgent need for stricter traffic regulations and increased public awareness to curb such preventable losses of young lives.