Wreath-Laying Ceremony Held in Jammu for 10 Soldiers Killed in Doda Accident

A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jammu on Friday to pay homage to ten soldiers who lost their lives in a tragic road accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this week.

The ceremony took place at the Air Force Station in Jammu, where senior officers from the Army, Indian Air Force, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, police and civil administration gathered to honour the fallen soldiers.

Leading the tributes, General Officer Commanding of the Army’s White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General P.K. Mishra, laid wreaths on the tricolour-draped coffins of the soldiers. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Senior officials, including Inspector General of Police (Jammu Zone) Bhim Sen Tuti and Inspector General of CRPF (Jammu) R. Gopal Krishna Rao, also paid their respects at the ceremony.

Mortal Remains Being Sent Home

Officials said the mortal remains of the soldiers are being dispatched to their respective hometowns across the country for the last rites. The deceased soldiers have been identified as Monu from Bulandshahr, Jobanjeet Singh from Roopnagar, Mohit from Jhajjar, Shailendra Singh Bhadoriya from Gwalior, Samiran Singh from Jhargram, Pradumna Lohar from Purulia, Sudhir Narwal from Yamunanagar, Hare Ram Kumar from Bhojpur, Ajay Lakra from Ranchi and Rinkhil Baliyan from Hapur.

Tragic Accident in Treacherous Terrain

The fatal accident occurred on Thursday when an Army armoured vehicle carrying soldiers for an anti-terror operation plunged into a deep gorge near Khanni Top, located at an altitude of about 9,000 feet along the Bhaderwah–Chamba interstate road in Doda district.

Ten soldiers were killed in the accident, while 11 others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.

The Army’s White Knight Corps described the incident as unfortunate, stating that the vehicle slipped off the road while navigating difficult terrain amid bad weather conditions.

Also Read: Jammu and Kashmir: 10 Army Personnel Killed, 10 Injured in Accident