Ten Army personnel killed as military vehicle plunges into gorge in J&K’s Doda

Srinagar: At least ten Army personnel were killed and seven others injured after a military vehicle skidded off a mountainous road and plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Thursday, officials said.

The accident occurred when an Army vehicle carrying 17 personnel was heading towards a high-altitude post. While negotiating a sharp turn on the Bhaderwah–Chamba road near Khanni Top, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to skid and fall into a gorge nearly 200 feet deep.

Soon after the incident, a massive rescue operation was launched involving the Indian Army, local police and residents of nearby villages. The injured soldiers were pulled out of the gorge under difficult terrain and weather conditions and rushed to hospitals for emergency treatment.

Initially, the bodies of four soldiers were recovered from the accident site, while the remaining 13 personnel were shifted to a nearby military hospital. However, officials later confirmed that seven more soldiers succumbed to their injuries during treatment, taking the death toll to ten.

Sources said some of the injured personnel sustained critical injuries and were airlifted to the military hospital in Udhampur for advanced medical care. The condition of a few injured soldiers is stated to be serious.

Senior Army officers and top civil administration officials rushed to the spot soon after receiving information about the mishap. They reviewed the rescue and evacuation efforts and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured personnel.

Preliminary reports suggest that the accident may have been caused by slippery road conditions and the steep gradient of the mountainous stretch, though a detailed inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.

The tragic accident has cast a pall of gloom over the region, with officials and locals expressing condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers. The Indian Army is expected to issue a detailed statement after completing its investigation into the incident.

This is one of the deadliest road accidents involving Army personnel in the region in recent times, highlighting the risks faced by soldiers while operating in challenging terrain across Jammu and Kashmir.

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