Five soldiers tragically lost their lives and five others were injured when an Indian Army vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a 300-foot deep gorge in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, on December 24, 2024. The incident occurred around 5:20 PM in the Gharoa area while the vehicle was part of a convoy heading towards Banoi during operational duties along the Line of Control (LoC).

The vehicle, identified as a 2.5-ton truck from the 11 Maratha Light Infantry, reportedly lost control at a bend in the road before plunging into the gorge. Initial reports suggest that there was no terrorist involvement in the accident, as confirmed by military sources who noted that a nearby post was only about 130 meters away from the incident site.

Rescue operations were promptly initiated, with teams recovering the bodies and transporting the injured to a field hospital in Poonch. Among the injured, one soldier is reported to be in critical condition. The Northern Command of the Indian Army expressed deep condolences for the loss of their comrades and stated that investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.

Agencies