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At least seven personnel of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were killed on Tuesday, 16 August, as a bus carrying 39 security personnel fell into a gorge between Chandanwari and Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
The personnel on the bus – 37 from the ITBP and two from the J&K police – were returning after Amarnath Yatra duty.
"In a road accident near Chandanwari Pahalgam in Anantnag district, 6 ITBP personnel got martyred while several others got injured, who are being airlifted to Army hospital, Srinagar for treatment," the Kashmir Police said in a tweet.
The deceased ITBP personnel have been identified as Head Constable Dula Singh (Taran Taran, Punjab), Constable Abhiraj (Lakhisarai, Bihar), Constable Amit K (Etah, UP), Constable D Raj Shekhar (Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh), Constable Subhash C Bairwal (Sikar, Rajasthan), Constable Dinesh Bohra (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand), and Constable Sandeep Kumar (Jammu).
While two ITBP personnel died on the spot, five others succumbed to their injuries later, the officials said.
The condition of eight of the injured is stated to be critical. They have been evacuated to Srinagar for specialised treatment. The remaining injured are being treated at the Anantnag district hospital.
Earlier, the official had said that one of the seven deceased was a policeman. However, later he said, "It was a case of mistaken identity. The two policemen are undergoing treatment."
An ITBP spokesperson cited the failure of brakes as the preliminary reason for the mishap.
Home Minister Shah, President Murmu, Rahul Gandhi Offer Condolences
Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah said that he was "anguished" by the incident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.
"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," Shah said on Twitter.
President Droupadi Murmu also took to Twitter to express her grief over the incident and said that she was praying for the quick recovery of the injured persons.
"The tragic loss of precious lives of ITBP personnel in the unfortunate accident at Anantnag, J&K fills me with sadness. My heartfelt condolences for the bereaved families. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured," Murmu said.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also took to Twitter to offer condolences.
"Deeply anguished by the bus accident near Chandanwari in which we have lost our brave ITBP personnel. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. All possible assistance is being provided to the injured personnel," he tweeted.
Sinha later visited the injured personnel at the Army Hospital in Srinagar.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also expressed his condolences.
"Saddened by the loss of lives of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel in a bus accident ... My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. My prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," a tweet by the Vice President's Secretariat quoted Dhankhar as saying.
Offering condolences to the victim's families, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he wished for "peace to the souls of the martyred jawans."
"The news of a bus carrying 39 ITBP personnel falling into a gorge in Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir is very sad. I wish the injured jawans a speedy recovery and peace to the souls of the martyred jawans and express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families," Gandhi said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also said that he was praying to "Baba Amarnath" for the speedy recovery of the injured persons.
"The news of the accident of a bus carrying ITBP and police personnel in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir is very sad. I express my condolences to the families of the security personnel killed in this incident and pray to Baba Amarnath for the speedy recovery of all the injured," the defence minister tweeted.
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