Five soldiers killed, five injured after vehicle plunges into gorge

In a tragic incident along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, five Army soldiers lost their lives, and five others sustained injuries after their vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a gorge on Tuesday evening.

The accident occurred around 5:40 pm when an Army vehicle from the 11 Maratha Light Infantry was en route from Nilam headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post. According to police officials, the vehicle fell approximately 150 feet into a gorge near Ghora Post, leading to serious injuries among the ten soldiers aboard, including the driver.

The Indian Army's 16 Corps, also known as the White Knight Corps, expressed their condolences via social media, stating: "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."

Upon learning of the incident, a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) from the 11 Maratha Light Infantry, along with local police personnel from Mankote, rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations. The injured soldiers were promptly evacuated to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment.