At least three soldiers died and two others were injured after an Army vehicle skidded off the road in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district and fell into a deep gorge near the Wular Viewpoint on Saturday.
The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said that the accident took place due to inclement weather and poor visibility conditions. “Injured soldiers were promptly evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmiri locals, for which we express gratitude towards the citizens in providing immediate succor,” their post on X read.
“Tragically three bravehearts lost their lives in the unfortunate accident. Indian Army extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” it added.
Earlier, Dr Masarat Iqbal Wani, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Bandipora, had told ANI that five soldiers were brought to the facility, of which two were brought dead and the rest three were in critical condition. The three soldiers were then referred to Srinagar, he added.
The incident comes just a week after five soldiers died and five others, including the driver, sustained critical injuries after vehicle skidded off the road along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Tuesday evening.
The vehicle was part of a six vehicle-convoy and at the time of the incident, it went off the road near Poonch and plunged into a Nullah (rivulet). After confirmation from ground sources, officials ruled out a terrorist-initiated incident in this regard.
Notably, cold wave conditions have been rocking the valley since the last month, with a thick layer of fog engulfing parts of Kashmir on Saturday. Weather officials said that there is a possibility of heavy snowfall over the middle and higher reaches of the valley.
Additionally, the MeT department also issued a ‘yellow’ alert for Saturday and an ‘orange’ alert for Sunday with a heavy snow warning. It warned that there could be temporary disruptions in surface and air transportation, especially on Sunday.
In view of the weather office’s forecast, officials have also asked people to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel amid such adverse weather conditions to ensure safety and reduce disruptions.