Bhaderwah- An armoured vehicle of the army carrying troops for an anti-terror operation plunged into a deep gorge in Doda district on Thursday, killing 10 soldiers and injuring 11 others, officials said.
The accident took place at the 9000-foot-high Khanni top along the Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road around noon when the driver of the bulletproof vehicle, Casspir, lost control and the vehicle plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge.
The Casspir, 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.
The Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps described the incident as “unfortunate” and said the vehicle slipped off the road while navigating treacherous terrain in bad weather.
A joint rescue operation by the army and police recovered the bodies of four soldiers, while 17 others were evacuated to a hospital in an injured condition, the officials said. The vehicle was badly mangled by the rescue team.
Later, six more injured soldiers succumbed to injuries.
While 10 of the injured were airlifted to Udhampur command hospital for specialised treatment, one more soldier is under observation in Bhaderwah sub-district hospital and his condition was stated to be “stable”, the officials said.
“We have lost 10 soldiers with 11 others injured in the unfortunate accident involving an army vehicle,” Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bhaderwah, Sumit Kumar Bhutyal told PTI.
“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,” White Knight Corps said in a post on X.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed grief over the accident.
“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 he had directed the 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 with 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 road-safety measures to prevent such heartbreaking losses,” he said.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party Azad said, “My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the swift recovery of those injured.”
The army’s Northern Commander said the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, and all ranks of the Command salute the bravehearts and express heartfelt condolences on the untimely demise of soldiers who lost their lives in the unfortunate vehicle accident.
“Northern Command fraternity stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and wishes speedy recovery to those injured in the accident,” it said in a post on X.
PM, President, Others Express Grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was “deeply anguished” over the death of 10 Indian Army personnel in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district.
The accident occurred around noon at Khani Top, located at an altitude of about 9,000 feet along the Bhaderwah–Chamba interstate road, when the driver of a bulletproof vehicle lost control and the vehicle plunged into a nearly 200-foot-deep gorge, officials said.
“Deeply anguished by the mishap in Doda, in which we have lost our brave Army personnel. Their service to the nation will be remembered forever,” the prime minister said in a post on X. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured and said all possible assistance was being extended to those affected.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and extended condolences to the bereaved families. “The news of the death of Indian Army soldiers in a road accident in Doda is extremely tragic,” she said, praying for the early recovery of those injured.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was “deeply pained” by the incident and informed that the injured soldiers were being provided the highest level of medical care.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the entire nation stood in solidarity with the bereaved families. He said 10 injured soldiers were airlifted to hospital and senior officials had been directed to ensure the best possible treatment.
“Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of 10 of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate road accident in Doda. We will always remember the outstanding service and supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers. My deepest condolences to the grieving families,” a post by the official X handle of the LG Office said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed deep grief over the tragic accident. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to those injured, lauding the swift rescue and evacuation efforts
Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on also expressed grief and wrote, “Deeply saddened to hear the tragic news from Doda, where an army vehicle met with an accident, claiming the lives of 10 brave soldiers and leaving several others injured. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and prayers for the swift recovery of the injured,”
Earlier, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh and Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla also expressed grief over the loss of lives.
