Jammu: Five soldiers were killed, and five others were injured in a tragic road accident near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Balnoi area of Mendhar in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening. The accident occurred when a convoy of six vehicles en route from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-foot-deep gorge, officials said, ruling out any terror angle.
A defence spokesperson stated that the cause of the accident is being investigated but suggested the driver "possibly lost control at the turn of the road."
Officials quoted that the Indian Army’s rescue team reached the site and recovered the bodies of five soldiers from the gorge, which is 300-350 feet deep. The injured were evacuated to a nearby camp for initial treatment.
Later, the injured soldiers were shifted to a field hospital in Poonch, with one of them reported to be in critical condition. “One 2.5-ton vehicle, part of a convoy of six vehicles, while moving on the operational track near Poonch, went off the road into a nallah. The operational track is on the home side of the LoC fence,” the Defence spokesperson said in a statement.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep sorrow over the incident near the forward post along the Line of Control (LoC). He extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the soldiers and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, a spokesperson said.
Congress leaders also expressed grief over the soldiers' deaths, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge praising their selfless service to the nation. “Deeply anguished by the terrible news of the martyrdom of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in a vehicle tragedy in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir,” Kharge posted on X.
Deeply anguished by the terrible news of the martyrdom of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in a vehicle tragedy in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 24, 2024
Our heartfelt condolences to the families of our bravehearts. We salute their sacrifice and selfless service to the…
“Our heartfelt condolences to the families of our bravehearts. We salute their sacrifice and selfless service to the nation. Our thoughts are with the injured, and we wish them a speedy and complete recovery”, he added.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute, saying, “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,” in a post on X.
जम्मू-कश्मीर के पुंछ में आर्मी वैन के एक्सीडेंट होने से कई जवानों के शहादत की ख़बर बेहद दुखद है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 24, 2024
शहीदों को भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूं और घायल जवानों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की आशा करता हूं।
शोक-संतप्त परिजनों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं।
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her sadness over the incident. In a post on X in Hindi, she said, “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. We will always be indebted to all the martyred soldiers and their families. Heartfelt tributes.”
पूंछ, जम्मू-कश्मीर में सेना का वाहन खाई में गिरने से कई जवानों की शहादत का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 24, 2024
ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति प्रदान करें। शोक-संतप्त परिजनों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं। घायल जवानों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की प्रार्थना करती हूं।
हम सब शहीद हुए जवानों और उनके…
The White Knight Corps expressed its deepest condolences over the deaths of the soldiers. “All ranks of White Knight Corps 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 undergoing treatment,” the Corps said in a social media post.
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.
— White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) December 24, 2024
Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care.@adgpi…
The Northern Command also called the Dhruva Command, expressed their heartfelt condolences for the tragic loss of five soldiers. Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar and all ranks conveyed their sympathies, stating, “The Dhruva Command stands firmly with the bereaved families during this time of grief.” said in a post on X. (With Agency Inputs)
#LtGenMVSuchindraKumar #ArmyCdrNC and All Ranks of #DhruvaCommand extend deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers. #DhruvaCommand stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. https://t.co/6hU2Z6jvxh
— NORTHERN COMMAND - INDIAN ARMY (@NorthernComd_IA) December 24, 2024
