Udhampur, Jan 27: Four persons were killed and several others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a Tata Mobile vehicle near Jhakhani bridge in Udhampur district on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway on Tuesday, officials said.

A police official  said that the accident occurred when a bus (JK02AS-4127) collided with a Mahindra Tata Mobile (JK04J-6732) parked on the roadside. Three civilians were changing a tyre of the parked vehicle at the time and died on the spot.

Officials said the bus, travelling from Chenani, rammed into the Tata Mobile while attempting to avoid a motorcycle. The impact was severe, killing a CRPF personnel of the 52 Battalion who was travelling in the bus. The jawan, posted in Kishtwar, was reportedly on his way home on leave.

Due to the force of the collision, the three civilians standing near the vehicle were thrown off the bridge. Their bodies were later recovered by police from the site.

Several bus passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to Government Medical College, Udhampur, for treatment. Officials said the condition of some injured passengers is under observation.

Police reached the spot soon after the accident, carried out rescue operations, and cleared traffic on the affected stretch of the highway. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.