A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held to honour the ten Army jawans who lost their lives in a tragic road accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior officers, including Air Commodore A. Shridhar, Air Officer Commanding Jammu Air Force Station, IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti, and Lt Gen P.K. Mishra, GOC of the White Knight Corps, paid floral tributes to the fallen soldiers during the ceremony.
The Army personnel who lost their lives were identified as Sowar Monu, Sowar Jobanjeet Singh, Sowar Mohit, Daffadar Shailendra Singh Bhadoriya, Sepoy Samiran Singh, Sepoy Pradumna Lohar, Sowar Sudhir Narwal, Naik Hare Ram Kunwar, Sepoy Ajay Lakra, and Sowar Rinkhil Baliyan.
Earlier, Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the sacrifice and service of the Army personnel would always be remembered and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
“Deeply anguished by the mishap in Doda, in which we have lost our brave Army personnel. Their service to the nation will be remembered forever. May the injured recover at the earliest,” the Prime Minister wrote.
The tragedy occurred in the Khanni Top area of Bhaderwah, where an Army vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge while navigating difficult terrain in bad weather conditions. Ten soldiers were killed on the spot, while 11 others sustained injuries.
According to the White Knight Corps, the vehicle was carrying troops for an operational task when the accident took place. Rescue teams from the Army and local administration immediately reached the site despite snowfall and rough terrain.
The injured soldiers were given first aid at the spot and later airlifted to Command Hospital Udhampur for specialised treatment.
Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh said preliminary findings suggest that snow-covered roads on the Bhaderwah–Chamba stretch were the main cause of the accident. He confirmed that the bodies of the deceased soldiers are being sent to their respective hometowns with full military honours.
The incident has cast a pall of grief across the region, with people from all walks of life paying tribute to the jawans who laid down their lives in the line of duty.