At least 10 Indian Army soldiers were killed and 11 others injured after an armoured vehicle carrying troops plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Thursday, officials said.
The accident occurred around noon near Khanni Top on the Bhaderwah–Chamba interstate road, at an altitude of nearly 9,000 feet, when the driver of a bulletproof Casspir vehicle reportedly lost control while navigating a steep and treacherous stretch amid adverse weather. The Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle fell nearly 200 feet into a gorge and was badly mangled.
The Army’s White Knight Corps said the vehicle was en route for an operational task when it slipped off the road in difficult terrain. Four soldiers died on the spot, while 17 were rescued with injuries. Six of them later succumbed, taking the death toll to 10.
A joint rescue operation was launched by the Army, police and local administration despite challenging conditions. Ten injured soldiers were airlifted to the Army’s Command Hospital in Udhampur for specialised treatment, while one remains under observation at a hospital in Bhaderwah and is stated to be stable.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief and assured the best possible medical care for the injured.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
