In a tragic incident, at least six Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel and a police official lost their lives while 32 others were grievously injured as the bus carrying them fell into a deep river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam after a brake failure. The bus carrying 37 jawans and two Jammu and Kashmir policemen was returning from Amarnath Yatra duty when the mishap took place.
The bus fell into a riverbed between between Chandanwari and Pahalgam, a police officer said, while adding that two jawans were declared dead on the spot.
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“In a road #accident near Chandanwari Pahalgam in #Anantnag district, 6 ITBP personnel got #martyred while as several others got injured, who are being #airlifted to Army hospital, Srinagar for treatment. Further details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police said in the tweet.
An ITBP spokesperson told news agency PTI, “A bus carrying 39 personnel fell down into a roadside river bed after its brakes reportedly failed. The troops were on their way from Chandanwari to Pahalgam. Casualties are feared and more details are awaited.” A Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter BSF MI-17 was used to airlift the injured jawans from the accident site.
Soon after the incident, several top leaders poured their heart out for the deceased and their families, while wishing speedy recovery of the injured personnel. “The tragic loss of precious lives of ITBP personnel in the unfortunate accident at Anantnag, J&K fills me with sadness. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” President Droupadi Murmu said.
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Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed deep anguish over the incident and said, “Anguished to learn about the accident of a bus carrying ITBP and police personnel in Pahalgam, J&K. My prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved families. The injured were rushed to the hospital. May they recover at the earliest”.
Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha took to Twitter and wrote, “Deeply anguished by the bus accident near Chandanwari in which we have lost our brave ITBP personnel. My condolences to bereaved families & prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. All possible assistance is being provided to the injured personnel”.
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“I wish the injured jawans a speedy recovery and peace to the souls of the martyred and express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.