On the evening of 30 June, an Indian Army truck caught fire on the Rajouri-Poonch National Highway in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place between Sathra and Bhatidhar villages at around 8:00 pm. The truck was carrying six soldiers, including a havaldar, a naik, and four army jawans. Five soldiers died on the spot while one jawan managed to jump out of the vehicle and was rescued with over 70% burns. The injured jawan was airlifted to a military hospital in Jammu for treatment. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, but Army and police officials have said that lightning could have struck the truck as there were traces of rain when the incident occurred.
After receiving information about the incident, senior army officers, the medical team, and rescue teams rushed to the spot. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the Army to investigate the cause of the incident. Sources, however, have said that the truck may have caught fire due to a short circuit.
The incident has left the entire force in a state of shock, and condolences are pouring in from various quarters. The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, tweeted, “Deeply pained by the loss of lives of Indian Army personnel in Poonch. My thoughts and prayers are with their families. May God give them the strength to bear this terrible loss”. Reacting to the incident, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, called it a “tragic accident” and offered condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers.
The Rajouri-Poonch National Highway is a critical lifeline for the Army deployed in the region. The highway connects several forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) that is highly prone to infiltration attempts by terrorists from Pakistan. In recent years, the Army has reinforced its presence in Poonch to counter the increasing number of infiltration attempts from Pakistan. The Army’s presence in the region curbs the influx of terror elements into the country.
The Indian Army has been facing a massive challenge from terrorists infiltrating from Pakistan and launching attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army has been engaged in multiple operations to eliminate terror hideouts and arrest the people involved in aiding and abetting terrorist activities in the region. In recent months, several attempts by terrorists to infiltrate have been foiled by the Indian army, resulting in the elimination of several terrorists.
The incident comes just days after two Indian soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack in the Handwara area of Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers were part of a Quick Reaction Team that was deployed to foil a possible militant attack in the area. A massive search operation was launched by the Army and the police to nab the perpetrators of the terrorist attack. The incident sparked outrage among people across the country, who took to social media to condemn the attack and mourn the loss of lives.
The Indian Army has a long and illustrious history of serving the nation in times of war and peace. The soldiers are trained to defend the country against external and internal threats and are deployed in various parts of the country to protect the borders and counter insurgency operations. The Army also provides assistance to civil authorities during natural disasters and calamities like floods, earthquakes, and landslides. The soldiers are often deployed in the harshest of conditions and are known for their bravery, courage, and selfless service to the nation. The nation stands with the families of the deceased soldiers during this difficult time and salutes the bravery of our soldiers who laid down their lives in service to the nation.
