Arunachal: 3 Army personnel killed, many injured as vehicle falls into gorge

Itanagar, Aug 28 (PTI) Three Army personnel died and several others were injured when their truck skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district, police said on Wednesday.

The accident happened around 6 am on Tuesday on the Trans Arunachal Highway near Tapi village, they said.

The deceased were identified as Havildar Nakhat Singh, Naik Mukesh Kumar and Grenadier Ashish Kumar, according to Army sources.

The Army truck that met with the accident was part of a convoy transporting personnel. The convoy was heading to Basar in Leparada district from Daporijo, the district headquarters town of Upper Subansiri, when the accident happened, a police officer said.

Locals immediately rushed to the spot and helped in rescuing the injured persons and retrieving the bodies of the deceased.

In a post on X, the Army's Eastern Command said, "Lt Gen RC Tiwari, #ArmyCdrEC & All Ranks express deepest condolences on the sad demise of Bravehearts Hav Nakhat Singh, Nk Mukesh Kumar and Gdr Ashish who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in #ArunachalPradesh. Indian Army stands firmly with the bereaved families." Chief Minister Pema Khandu mourned the death of the three personnel.

"I am deeply pained by loss of lives of three @adgpi personnel - Havildar Nakhat Singh, Naik Mukesh Kumar and Grenadier Ashish Kumar - in a tragic accident near Tapi in Upper Subansiri district. Their service to the nation and supreme sacrifice will be remembered with the highest regards," he posted in X.

"My condolences to the bereaved families. I pray to Lord Buddha for the peace of brave souls. Om Mani Padme Hum," he added. PTI