Three Karnataka soldiers among 5 killed after army vehicle falls into gorge in Jammu and Kashmir
Mangalore Today News Network
Bengaluru, December 25, 2024: Five soldiers died after an army vehicle fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch on Tuesday. Of them, three -- Dayanand Thirakannavara, Anoop and Mahesh Marigonda -- were from Karnataka.
CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday, mourned their loss, on a message on X.
"I was saddened to hear the news of the martyrdom of Kannadiga soldiers Dayanand Thirakannavara, Anoop and Mahesh Marigonda in an army vehicle accident near Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir," the Congress leader said.
ಜಮ್ಮು ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರದ ಪೂಂಛ್ ಬಳಿ ಸೇನಾ ವಾಹನ ಅಪಘಾತಕ್ಕೀಡಾಗಿ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ ಯೋಧರಾದ ದಯಾನಂದ ತಿರಕಣ್ಣವರ, ಅನೂಪ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಮಹೇಶ್ ಮರಿಗೊಂಡ ಅವರು ಹುತಾತ್ಮರಾದ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತಿಳಿದು ನೋವಾಯಿತು.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 25, 2024
ಮೃತ ಯೋಧರ ಆತ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಚಿರಶಾಂತಿ ದೊರಕಲಿ, ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ನೋವು ಭರಿಸುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಸಿಗಲೆಂದು ದೇವರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.
ದೇಶ ಸೇವೆಗಾಗಿ ಜೀವ… pic.twitter.com/K5mDBIn8sS
"I pray to God that the souls of the deceased soldiers may rest in peace and that their families may find the strength to bear this pain," he added.
Siddaramaiah continued, "The nation will forever remember the sacrifices and bravery of these martyrs who laid down their lives in service to the nation."
The army vehicle had skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-feet deep gorge, officials said, while ruling out a terror angle in the case.
The soldiers were travelling in a military vehicle when, for reasons still under investigation, it veered off the narrow, treacherous road. The police official said an Army vehicle of 11 Maratha Light Infantry, which was on its way from Nilam headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post along the LoC, met with an accident near Ghora Post.
The vehicle fell into a gorge, around 150 feet deep, causing serious injuries to 10 soldiers including the driver, the official said.
A quick reaction team (QRT) of 11 Maratha Light Infantry and a police party from Mankote rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations.
A defence spokesperson said the cause of the accident is being ascertained but "possibly, the driver lost control at the turn of the road". The accident occurred in the Gharoa area when a convoy of six vehicles was en route from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post. The officials quoted above said rescue teams have recovered five bodies from the gorge which is 300-350 feet deep.
The injured soldiers have been shifted to the field hospital in Poonch and one of them is in critical condition.
While five soldiers died in the accident, as many were injured.