5 soldiers killed as army vehicle falls into 300-feet deep gorge in Poonch

At least five soldiers were killed and five others injured when an Army vehicle met with an accident on Tuesday near Ghoda post of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said, adding that the vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-feet deep gorge.

The Jammu-based White Knight Corps of the Indian Army informed that the injured are receiving treatment.

"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," the Army officials informed. The injured soldiers have been shifted to the field hospital in Poonch, a defence spokesperson said, adding one of them is in critical condition.


Officials said the vehicle carrying Army personnel lost control and met with the accident. The spokesperson said the cause of the accident is being ascertained but "possibly the driver lost control at the turn of the road". The accident occurred in the Gharoa area when a convoy of six vehicles was on its way to Banoi. "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. Operational track is on the home side of the LOC fence," the defence spokesperson said in a statement.

The officials quoted above said rescue teams have recovered five bodies from the gorge which is 300-350 feet deep.

- With Agency Inputs