J&K’s Doda Tragedy: 10 Soldiers Killed After Army Vehicle Plunges Into 200-Foot Gorge

A devastating accident in Jammu & Kashmir’s Doda district on Thursday claimed the lives of 10 Indian Army soldiers, after their vehicle fell into a deep gorge while heading to a high-altitude post.

🚨 The Accident: Vehicle Lost Control on Mountain Road

According to early reports, the Army truck was carrying 17 personnel and moving towards a forward location in the Bhadarwah sector when the driver is believed to have lost control on a narrow, slippery stretch.

The vehicle skidded off the mountain road and plunged nearly 200 feet into a steep gorge.

Locals and security teams rushed to the spot and launched a joint rescue operation.

🩺 Casualties & Rescue

10 soldiers died on the spot due to severe injuries.

7 soldiers were rescued alive but with critical injuries.

Helicopters were deployed and the injured were airlifted to Udhampur Command Hospital for advanced treatment.

Visuals from the scene showed rescue teams carrying a severely injured soldier on a stretcher toward an evacuation chopper.

🏔️ Terrain Challenges Complicated Rescue

Doda’s rugged, mountainous terrain—known for sharp blind curves and deep gorges—proved extremely challenging for rescuers.

Search teams struggled with:

Loose soil and rocks

Narrow access paths

Low visibility in parts of the gorge

Yet, all personnel were retrieved within hours.

🛂 Army Orders High-Level Inquiry

A court of inquiry has been initiated to determine:

Whether brake failure or terrain conditions caused the mishap

If weather played a role

Whether the vehicle was overloaded

The last service and inspection status

Senior Army officials are monitoring the situation closely.

🇮🇳 Leaders Express Condolences

Several defence officials and political leaders have expressed grief over the loss of lives.

The tragedy has once again highlighted the dangerous conditions in which armed forces operate daily, especially in the rugged sectors of Jammu & Kashmir.

📌 Why This Region Is So Risk-Prone

Doda–Bhadarwah belt has recorded multiple vehicle accidents due to:

Narrow high-altitude roads

Steep gorges along the highway

Frequent landslides

Harsh winter weather

Authorities have been urged to strengthen road safety measures for military convoys in the region.