Lt Col among two Army officials killed as boulder crushes vehicle in Ladakh

Two Army personnel, including a Lieutenant Colonel, lost their lives and three officers sustained injuries when a boulder fell on an SUV that was part of a military convoy in a remote area of eastern Ladakh on Wednesday, officials said.

The incident occurred at Charbagh near Durbuk in the Galwan region, approximately 200 km from Leh, around 11.30 am. The Army identified the deceased as Lt Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh (14 Sindh Horse).

The injured have been identified as Major Mayank Shubham (14 Sindh Horse), Major Amit Dixit and Captain Gaurav (60 Armoured). They were immediately evacuated to the military hospital in Leh, where they are currently undergoing treatment.

In a statement on X, the Ladakh-based Fire and Fury Corps said: “The GOC, Fire and Fury Corps, and all ranks salute Lieutenant Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Ladakh on July 30, 2025. We offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved families in this hour of grief.”

According to the statement, a boulder fell from a cliff onto one of the vehicles in the convoy, after which a rescue operation was launched immediately. Sources said the convoy was en route from Durbuk to Chongtash for a training mission when the accident occurred. Rescue teams faced considerable difficulty in extracting the injured, as the vehicle was crushed by the impact of the boulder. The driver, Daljit Singh, was trapped inside the vehicle and succumbed to his injuries.

Bus carrying ITBP personnel falls into river in Ganderbal

Srinagar: A bus carrying security forces personnel fell into a river in the Ganderbal district on Wednesday, officials said here. The bus carrying ITBP personnel fell into the Sindh river at Kullan in the Ganderbal district amidst heavy rain, the officials said, adding that all personnel on board the bus were rescued. However, it was not immediately clear how many personnel were on the bus. “The driver has sustained injuries and has been shifted to a hospital,” an official said. PTI

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