ITBP Bus Falls into Sindh River in Jammu & Kashmir, Rescue Efforts Underway

A bus carrying Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel met with a serious accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday. The vehicle lost control and plunged into the Sindh River near the Chini Nallah area. Immediate rescue efforts were launched by local authorities and security forces.

The accident occurred as the ITBP team was returning from duty. Preliminary reports suggest that the bus veered off a hilly road and slid down into the fast-flowing river. The terrain in the area is challenging, with narrow roads and sharp turns that often make travel risky, especially during the monsoon season.

Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and the Army quickly reached the site. Divers and emergency workers have been deployed to locate and pull out survivors. Some personnel have already been rescued and moved to nearby hospitals for treatment. The condition of a few remains critical, while several others are still unaccounted for.

This incident has once again raised concerns about the safety of transport arrangements for security forces operating in high-altitude and remote regions. In states like Jammu and Kashmir, where troops frequently move through difficult mountain terrain, accidents like these are not uncommon, and often fatal.

For residents of Tier 2 and remote towns across India, this tragedy also highlights the larger issue of infrastructure challenges in difficult terrains. Limited road safety measures, absence of guardrails, and unpredictable weather make such journeys more dangerous than they need to be.

As rescue operations continue, families of the personnel are waiting for updates. Authorities have assured that every possible resource is being used to speed up the operation. A detailed inquiry is expected after the rescue and recovery phase ends, to determine the exact cause of the accident and prevent such mishaps in future.

The situation remains tense, but efforts are ongoing to ensure that all those involved are accounted for.