In a dramatic and alarming incident that shook the Soura locality on Saturday, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunker vehicle lost control and plummeted into a canal near Umar Hair on Dagpora Road in Ahmad Nagar, injuring at least nine jawans of the 21 Battalion CRPF. The mishap, which occurred during what appeared to be routine movement, sent shockwaves through the security establishment in the Kashmir Valley.
Eyewitnesses in the area recounted scenes of chaos as the vehicle veered off the road before plunging into the waterway. Emergency response teams and fellow personnel scrambled to the site almost immediately, initiating a frantic rescue operation to pull the injured out of the wreckage before the situation could worsen.
In the immediate aftermath, seven of the injured jawans were shifted to a nearby hospital for emergency care. As assessments continued, two additional personnel with more serious injuries were transferred to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura — one of the Valley's premier medical facilities — for specialized treatment.
Officials confirmed that all nine injured personnel are currently in stable condition. While they sustained multiple injuries in the fall, authorities have clarified that all are out of danger. Medical teams at SKIMS and the nearby hospital are closely monitoring their recovery.
The injured personnel have been officially identified as Naginder Singh (36), Ajit Kumar Ram (36), Raj Kishore Rai (40), Amit Kumar Yadav (38), Rajdhan Ram (55), Mankar Kumar (40), and Neeraj Kumar (45). The names of the remaining two personnel are yet to be formally released by authorities.
Preliminary reports indicate that the driver of the bunker vehicle lost control near the canal stretch on Dagpora Road, causing the heavy vehicle to skid and plunge into the waterway below. The exact cause — whether it was a mechanical failure, a slippery road surface, or driver error — is yet to be conclusively established. Security officials have not yet issued a formal statement on whether an inquiry has been ordered into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Dagpora Road, like several arterial roads in the Soura belt, passes through stretches that run parallel to canal networks, making vehicular movement particularly precarious, especially for heavy, armour-fitted CRPF bunker vehicles that are standard equipment for forces operating in the Valley.
The accident comes at a time of heightened security activity across Jammu and Kashmir. Just a day prior, on Friday, security forces foiled an infiltration attempt in the Rajouri district — and a subsequent search operation in the Nathua Tibba area of the Sunderbani sector along the Line of Control yielded a significant cache of arms and ammunition.
During the search, troops discovered blood stains in the area, strongly suggesting that one or more of the infiltrating terrorists may have sustained serious injuries while attempting to cross over. The recovered items included one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, three rucksacks, blankets, ration supplies, and clothing — indicating the infiltrators were prepared for an extended operation inside Indian territory. Search operations in the area were ongoing as of Saturday, with security forces maintaining heightened vigil across all sensitive sectors of the Union Territory.
Road accidents involving security force vehicles are not uncommon in Jammu and Kashmir, given the challenging terrain, the weight and dimensions of armoured vehicles, and the condition of certain roads — particularly in densely populated urban pockets like Soura. However, each such incident underlines the physical risks that CRPF personnel navigate daily, even beyond the direct threats they face in the line of duty.
The priority for now remains the full recovery of all nine injured jawans. As of the latest reports, their condition is stable, and both the medical teams at SKIMS and the broader CRPF administration are closely engaged in overseeing their care.
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