Amid heavy rains in the Kashmir Valley, an empty bus allocated to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) plunged into the Sindh River near Resin Kullan in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district early on Tuesday morning. According to officials, the bus, meant for transporting troops, skidded off the road while negotiating a sharp bend during heavy rainfall.
The driver, identified as Waseem Ahmad Dar from Sumbal, sustained minor injuries, according to Ganderbal Police. He was promptly taken to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Kullan and is reported to be in stable condition.
Rescue effort
A joint rescue operation was quickly launched by teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Sharing an update on social media, SDRF Kashmir said: “The search operations at Kullan Ganderbal, where a bus carrying ITBP personnel had fallen into Nallah Sind, are ongoing. However, all jawans have been rescued so far. SDRF and NDRF are on the job.”
Kullan Ganderbal Search/Rescue Update.
The Search operation at Kullan Ganderbal where a bus carrying ITBP personnel that rolled down in Nallah Sind at Kullan area of Ganderbal district is underway. However, all the Jawans have been rescued so far. SDRF & NDRF are on job. pic.twitter.com/ksav5qnDQN— SDRF Kashmir (@KashmirSdrf) July 30, 2025
Rescue teams from SDRF units based in Gund and Ganderbal were deployed. Video footage released by SDRF shows personnel using ropes and rescue gear to retrieve the vehicle from the fast-flowing river. No casualties have been reported at the time of writing.
Monsoon fury
This incident adds to a string of recent rain-related disruptions in Jammu and Kashmir. Flash floods in Ramban district have displaced thousands of residents and destroyed nearly 40 homes. More than 100 people have been evacuated by emergency teams.
Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has faced repeated closures due to landslides and debris.
In a separate incident, a landslide on the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route in Katra claimed one life and injured nine others.
Heavy downpours have also disrupted the Amarnath Yatra, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend pilgrimage along the Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to overflowing streams and landslide threats. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rainfall in the region and advised extreme caution while travelling through hilly terrain.