Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Jan 04 : Four soldiers lost their lives, and two others sustained critical injuries when an Army vehicle skidded off the Bandipora-Srinagar road and plunged into a deep gorge near Suderkoot-Payeen, close to the Wular sunset point in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday, officials said.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accident occurred due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. He said the vehicle veered off the road near SK Payeen and fell into a deep gorge, resulting in serious injuries to six soldiers.
“Police, Army personnel and local residents immediately rushed to the spot to rescue the injured soldiers and evacuate them to the district hospital,” the official said. “Two soldiers were declared dead on arrival at the Bandipora District Hospital, while the other four were shifted to a Srinagar hospital for advanced treatment. Tragically, two more soldiers succumbed to their injuries en route to the hospital. The remaining two are in critical condition.”
The deceased soldiers have been identified as Lance Naik Jitender, Havildar Hari Ram, Gunner Nitesh and Pawan Kumar. The injured soldiers are Havildar Balappa and Lance Naik Garili.
The Army said the accident occurred due to inclement weather and poor visibility conditions. In a statement, the Chinar Corps expressed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and gratitude to the local Kashmiri citizens for their swift assistance during the rescue operations.
“On 04 Jan 2024, while performing duty in Bandipora District, a vehicle of the Indian Army skidded and fell into a gorge due to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility. Injured soldiers were promptly evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmiri locals, for which we express our gratitude. Tragically, three bravehearts lost their lives in the unfortunate accident. The Indian Army extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” the statement read.
The bodies of the deceased soldiers were handed over to their respective units after completing the necessary legal formalities, a police officer said, adding that an investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the tragic accident.
