Aries/Jammu, 24 December
Five jawans were killed while five others were injured when a vehicle carrying soldiers skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district this evening. Officials said that the accident took place in Gharoa area when the army vehicle was going towards Banoi in Poonch district. According to the officials, the vehicle fell into a ravine 300-350 feet deep. Sources said that the army and police teams who reached the spot have recovered five bodies during the relief operations. Meanwhile, the army has denied the hand of any terrorist organization behind this accident. The defense spokesman said that the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, but ‘it is likely that the driver lost control of the vehicle due to a sharp turn.’ The injured soldiers have been shifted to the field hospital in Poonch, one of them is in a critical condition. The vehicle that was a victim of the accident was included in the convoy of 6 military vehicles being built. The Northern Command said that Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar and all officers of the Northern Command have expressed their deepest condolences over the death of five army personnel in the accident. On the other hand, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah has expressed deep condolences over the death of five army personnel in a road accident near Moharli Chokki along the Line of Control in Poonch district. Abdullah has also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the accident. -News-Patiala
