Defence authorities to conduct inquiry to ascertain cause of Ladakh accident [details]

While as Defence authorities have initiated an inquiry to ascertain the reason for the tragic road accident in Ladakh on Saturday evening, tributes were paid to the soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty in the mountainous region.

In a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Fire and Fury Corps and all ranks paid homage with full military honours to the Bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice, in the line of duty, at Ladakh on 19 Aug 2023.

"The Nation will forever remain indebted to them and their family members", a Ladakh-based defence spokesperson stated in a statement.

Nine soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) lost their lives and another injured seriously when an Army skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Kiari in the Nyoma area of Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Saturday evening.

According to officials, the accident occurred around 6.30 pm on Saturday.

As per reports, the troops were moving from Karu garrison to Kyari near Leh. The ALS vehicle, which was moving as part of a convoy from Leh to Nyoma, skidded into the valley at approximately 5:45-6:00 PM, 7 Km short of Kiari.

There was 10 personnel traveling in the vehicle, of which nine died and one got injured. The injured personnel has been shifted to a hospital.

The deceased soldiers are NB Sub Ramesh Lal, Hav Mahendra Singh, Hav Vijay Kumar, NK N Chandra Sekhar, NK Tejpal, GNR Man Mohan, GNR Ankit, GNR Tarandeep Singh and GNR Bhoite Vaibhav, the Army's Fire and Fury Corps said.

Out of nine soldiers who lost their lives, four belonged to Haryana and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.

Inquiry initiated to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Sources said that defence authorities have already initiated an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the tragic accident that claimed the lives of nine soldiers.

Earlier in May 2022 seven soldiers were killed and nineteen others received serious injuries when a vehicle carrying jawans skidded off the road and fell in the Shyok river in Ladakh's Turtuk sector.

It was a private vehicle hired by the army to ferry soldiers. It skidded off the road and plunged into an 80-feet deep gorge. The vehicle has plunged into a river.

President, Vice-President, PM express anguish over the accident

President Droupadi Murmu said she was deeply anguished by the loss of lives, adding that "the nation owes a great debt of gratitude to these soldiers for their selfless sacrifice".

"Deeply anguished to learn that a road accident in Leh led to the loss of lives of Indian Army personnel. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May God give them the strength to bear this tragedy. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The nation owes a great debt of gratitude to these soldiers for their selfless sacrifice," read a post from the President's office on X.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhakhar also extended condolences to the bereaved families while praying for a speedy recovery of the injured personnel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also condoled the loss of lives in the Ladakh accident, saying their rich service to the nation will always be remembered.

Taking to social media platform 'X', PM Modi posted, "Pained by the mishap near Leh in which we 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."