Nine army jawans, including JCO, killed as vehicle plunges into river in Ladakh

In a tragic incident as many as nine Indian Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO), were killed and another seriously injured when the truck carrying them skidded off the road and plunged into a river in Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday evening.

According to the official sources, the mishap occurred at Kiyari, around 150 kilometers from Leh, on Saturday around 5 PM.

Sources said that one Jawan was injured in the mishap and was admitted to the hospital where his condition was stated to be serious.

Officials said that a convoy of five trucks carrying soldiers was on its way to Kiyari when the mishap occurred. The driver of one of the vehicles appeared to have lost control over the steering wheel and the truck skidded off the road and fell into the river.

A team of police from the local police station rushed to the spot after getting the information and the jawans were taken to the hospital where eight of them were declared dead, sources said. Another jawan succumbed to his injuries a little later.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union defense minister Rajnath Singh condoled the death of the army personnel. ‘’Pained by the mishap near Leh in which we have lost personnel of the Indian Army. Their rich service to the nation will always be remembered. Condolences to the bereaved families. May those who are injured recover at the earliest,’’ Modi said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

‘’Saddened by the loss of Indian Army personnel due to an accident near Leh in Ladakh. We will never forget their exemplary service to our nation. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. The injured personnel have been rushed to the Field Hospital. Praying for their speedy recovery,’’ Rajnath Singh said in a post on X.