10 soldiers killed as Army vehicle plunges into gorge in J&K's Doda

At least 10 soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty when an armoured Army vehicle carrying troops for an anti-terror operation in the Chenab region skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.

While 10 soldiers lost their lives in the incident, 11 others were injured in the incident.

Initial reports said the accident took place at the 9,000-foot-high Khanni Top along the Bhaderwah–Chamba interstate road this afternoon when the driver of the bulletproof vehicle lost control and the vehicle plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge.

The Casspir vehicle, also known as "Casper", is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle designed to keep troops safe while navigating hostile environments with high mine or IED threats.

"In an unfortunate incident, an Army vehicle carrying troops for an operation slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather in the general area of Doda. There are multiple casualties, including fatalities. The injured have been evacuated for further treatment," the Jammu-based Army's White Knight Corps posted on its official social media platform.

According to initial reports, a joint rescue operation by the Army and police recovered the bodies of four soldiers, while 17 others were evacuated to the hospital with injuries, officials said. The vehicle was badly mangled during the rescue operation. Later, six more injured soldiers succumbed to their injuries.

While 10 of the injured were airlifted to the Udhampur Command Hospital for specialised treatment, one more soldier is under observation at the Bhaderwah sub-district hospital, and his condition was stated to be "stable", reports said.

"A tragic accident took place on the Bhaderwah-Chamba road. A total of 10 jawans have lost their lives. Out of the 11 injured jawans, 10 seriously injured jawans have been airlifted to Command Hospital Udhampur. The bodies of the deceased soldiers are being dispatched to their families. According to the preliminary report, the road accident took place because there was snow on the road", Deputy Commissioner Doda Harvinder Singh said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed grief over the accident.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweets, "I am deeply pained by the road accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave soldiers we have lost in this tragic incident. The injured jawans are being provided with the highest level of medical care. I pray to God that all the soldiers recover as soon as possible."

"Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Doda in which we lost 10 brave soldiers of the Indian Army. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," the Defence Minister said in a post on X.

Singh said the injured soldiers are receiving medical care, and all necessary directions have been given to ensure the best possible treatment.

Abdullah lauded the swift rescue and evacuation efforts. He also conveyed condolences to the families of the soldiers who died and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

LG Sinha, in a post on X, said, "We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers."

"In this moment of profound sorrow, the entire nation stands united with the bereaved families in solidarity and support," the LG said, adding that he had directed senior officials to ensure the best possible treatment.

Expressing sadness over the accident, Congress president Kharge called for strengthening road safety measures to prevent such deaths.

"My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and loved ones. The nation stands united in deep sorrow, and our thoughts and prayers are with the injured for a speedy recovery.

"Several such instances have happened in the past. There is an urgent need to strengthen road infrastructure, improve mobility in difficult terrain, and enhance road safety measures to prevent such heartbreaking losses," he said.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the swift recovery of those injured."

The Army's Northern Command said the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, and all ranks of the Command salute the bravehearts and express heartfelt condolences over the untimely demise of the soldiers who lost their lives in the unfortunate vehicle accident.

"The Northern Command fraternity stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured in the accident," it said in a post on a social media platform.