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5 soldiers killed, 5 injured as Army vehicle plunges into gorge in J&K's Poonch
A quick reaction team (QRT) of 11 Maratha Light Infantry and a police party from Mankote rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations.
At least five soldiers died and five others including driver sustained critical injuries after their vehicle veered off the road along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Tuesday evening.
"All ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the #Poonch sector. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care", Army's Nagrota-based White Knight Corps wrote on X.
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An official statement issued by the army here stated that the vehicle, part of an army convoy, went off the road near the LoC.
"One 2.5 ton vehicle, part of a convoy of six vehicles, while plying on the operational track near Poonch went off the road and plunged into into a Nullah (rivulet). Operational Track is on the home (Indian) side of the LoC fence," read the statement
The accident occurred around 1720 hrs (5.20 pm).
The casualties have been evacuated to Field Hospital at Poonch.
"The cause of the accident is being ascertained. Possibly driver lost control at a bend (in the road).
A terrorist-initiated incident was positively ruled out after confirmation from ground sources. Own post was approximately 130 meters from the incident site and a backup vehicle was barely 40 meters away," it read further.
Earlier, a senior intelligence official said, "Today at around 17:20 hrs (5.20 pm), an Army vehicle of 11 Maratha Light Infantry, which was on its way from from Nilam headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post along the LoC, met with an accident near Ghora Post."
The vehicle fell into a deep gorge, around 150 feet deep, causing serious injuries to 10 soldiers including the driver, he added.
A quick reaction team (QRT) of 11 Maratha Light Infantry and a police party from Mankote rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations.
