SRINAGAR | Breaking News
At least 10 soldiers were killed and 7 others injured in a tragic road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bhaderwah area in Doda district today while they were moving for an operational duty, officials said.
The accident occurred when an Army vehicle skidded off the slippery Bhaderwah-Chamba road and plunged deep into a deep gorge. The vehicle was reduced to manlged remains in deep gorge in Bhaderwah in Doda district.
The injured personnel were rushed to nearby medical facilities, where some of them are stated to be in critical condition. Rescue and relief operations were launched immediately after the mishap with the help of locals.
The preliminary reports say that the road was narrow and slippery due to bad weather conditions in the region. It has raised questions as to why Army vehicle in operation was not equipped with the anti-skid chains to ply on the slippery road?
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and all ranks of the Indian Army paid solemn tribute to the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident.
In an official statement, the Army said it stands firmly with the bereaved families in this hour of grief and wished a speedy recovery to the injured personnel.
Senior Army officers have reached the spot to assess the situation, while a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
There were 17 personnel loaded in the vehicle when the maximum limit is 10 personnel+2 drivers.
The netizens are asking: Who is accountable, should not overloading traffic rules apply to Army Vehicles especially on hilly and mountainous terrain, they asked.
The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the region, with condolences pouring in for the fallen soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
