In a tragic incident, as many as five soldiers were killed and five others sustained injuries after an Army vehicle plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. As per the information, as many as 10 soldiers were aboard the vehicle at the time of the mishap and one is said to have escaped unhurt. The accident occurred in the Gharoa area when an Army vehicle was on its way to Banoi in the district. The incident occurred at around 5:30 pm on Tuesday.
The soldiers were travelling in the vehicle towards their post when the driver lost control which led to the accident. Some of the injured soldiers are in critical condition and have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. Rescue operations are currently underway, with rescue teams working on-site to evacuate the injured soldiers.
No terrorist angle
The Army, meanwhile, ruled out the terrorist angle to the incident. "A terrorist Initiated Incident positively ruled out after confirming from ground sources. Own post approximately 130 m from the incident site and the backup vehicle was barely 40 meters away," a defence spokesperson said in a statement.
Rahul Gandhi expresses condolence
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the news of the death of soldiers due to the accident of an army van in Poonch is very saddening. "I pay my heartfelt tribute to the martyrs and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families," he said.
Priyanka Gandhi's reaction
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed sadness at the death of the soldiers. "May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers," she said in a post in Hindi on X. "We will always be indebted to all the martyred soldiers and their families. Heartfelt tributes," she added.
Army jawan killed in mine blast
Earlier this month, an Army jawan was killed in a mine blast while patrolling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The jawan was part of an area domination patrol in the general area of Thanedar Tekri along the LoC when he accidentally stepped on the mine, resulting in the blast, officials said. In the explosion, Havildar V Subbaiah Varikunta of the 25 Rashtriya Rifles lost his life, they added. The General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the White Knight Corps Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva and all ranks paid tributes to the braveheart who made the supreme sacrifice.
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