7 security personnel dead as bus falls into gorge in J&K's Pahalgam

30 personnel were injured; eight among them are critical

Seven Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were killed while 30 were injured when their bus met with an accident near Chandanwari in Pahalgam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday.

Reports said the vehicle, carrying 37 ITBP jawans and two J&K police personnel, rolled down the road at Frislan, Chandanwari at around 10 am and fell into a riverbed after its brakes reportedly failed.

“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. Further details shall follow (sic),” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

Read | Kashmiri Pandit shot dead, brother hurt in militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir

The ITBP party was being de-inducted from the annual Amarnath Yatra duty that concluded on August 11.

They said that the J&K Police and SDRF officials rushed to the spot while 20 ambulances were put into service to ferry the injured personnel. The critically injured have been airlifted to Army’s base hospital in Srinagar.

The death toll is likely to increase as several officers were critically injured, sources said. Eight personnel have suffered serious injuries and are currently being treated in Srinagar.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah while expressing anguish over the incident tweeted: “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.”

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinaha also expressed anguish over the loss of lives in the accident. “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.