Bus falls into gorge in J-K, two ITBP personnel killed

Srinagar: A bus fell into a gorge in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, leaving two Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel dead and 37 others returning from Amarnath Yatra duty injured. A police official said the police bus carrying 37 ITBP personnel and two policemen fell into a gorge between Chandanwari and Pahalgam.

He said while two ITBP personnel died on the spot, 10 others sustained grievous injuries. Twenty-five ITBP personnel and two policemen were also injured in the accident.

The party comprising 37 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel and two from the JKP were being de-inducted from the Amarnath Yatra duty that concluded on August 11, a senior officer said.

An ITBP spokesperson said in Delhi, ”A bus carrying 39 personnel fell down into a roadside river bed after its brakes reportedly failed. The troops were on their way from Chandanwari to Pahalgam. Casualties are feared and more details are awaited.” A Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter has been pressed to airlift the casualties, officials said.