Bihar Man Killed After Being Hit by Vehicle in J&K Deputy CM's Convoy

A 55-year-old man from Bihar died after being struck by a sport utility vehicle that was part of Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary’s official convoy on Saturday night, officials said. The accident occurred at approximately 9.05 pm in Gangyal, on the outskirts of Jammu city.

The victim was identified as Bharat Kaper, a resident of Samastipur district in Bihar. He was employed at a shop in the Gangyal area and was crossing the road when the vehicle hit him. Preliminary reports indicated that the Mahindra Scorpio involved in the accident was travelling at high speed when the collision occurred.

Officials said the cavalcade was returning after dropping the deputy chief minister at his residence. Choudhary was therefore not reported to have been travelling in the convoy when the accident took place. The precise position of the Scorpio within the cavalcade and the sequence of events leading to the collision are being examined by investigators.

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Immediately after the accident, the driver stopped the vehicle, got out and helped transport the injured man to Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu. Medical personnel at the hospital declared Kaper dead on arrival. No further information was immediately available regarding whether other motorists or pedestrians witnessed the collision.

Police personnel reached the accident site soon after receiving information and took cognisance of the incident. A First Information Report has been registered, and an investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances that led to Kaper’s death. Authorities are expected to examine the vehicle and gather available evidence as part of the inquiry.

The incident has raised concerns about the movement of official cavalcades and pedestrian safety on urban roads, particularly during late hours. Investigators will seek to determine the vehicle’s speed, the conduct of the driver and whether prescribed traffic and convoy procedures were followed. Officials had not announced any arrest or disclosed further action against the driver at the time of the initial report.

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