LG, CM, Cong president exp
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 4: Four soldiers died and two others were injured critically when an Army vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Bandipora district today.
An official said that the mishap occurred due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. He said the vehicle skidded off the road near Sakerkote 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.
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“Two soldiers were declared brought dead at the Bandipora District Hospital, while the other four were shifted to Srinagar for treatment. Two more soldiers succumbed to their injuries enroute to the hospital. The two others are in critical condition,” he said.
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 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.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. “Deeply grieved by the loss of lives of Army personnel due to a tragic road accident in Bandipora. The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in his condolence message.
“Deeply pained to hear about the terrible tragedy in Bandipora. We salute the selfless service of the soldiers. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mourned the loss of lives and urged authorities to take measures to prevent such incidents. “Deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Bandipora, where soldiers have lost their lives. We salute their selfless service. Authorities must take adequate safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” he said in a post on ‘X.’
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed her condolences. “The news of the martyrdom of our soldiers in Bandipora is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers,” she said.
This tragedy comes just a week after a similar incident in Poonch, where five soldiers lost their lives in a road accident.
Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, said the news of the “martyrdom of many of our soldiers” is very sad.
“I pay tribute to the martyred soldiers and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. My deep condolences for the bereaved families,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.
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