Sixteen army personnel were killed and four others were injured when their vehicle went off the road and plummeted into a gorge near the India-China border in north Sikkim.
The injured have been evacuated to an army hospital in north Bengal, according to a senior police officer.
The accident took place around 8 a.m. near Zema 3, around 15 kilometers from Lachen, which is roughly 130 kilometers from the state capital Gangtok.
Responding to the incident, Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to express his condolences to the bereaved families of trooper.
“Deeply pained by the loss of lives of the Indian Army personnel due to a road accident in North Sikkim. The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment. My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of those who are injured (sic),” he tweeted.
The army truck, which was going towards Thangu, was part of a three-vehicle convoy that had moved from Chatten in the morning.
According to news agency ANI, the Indian army launched a rescue operation in which four injured soldiers were air evacuated, while three Junior Commissioned officers and 13 soldiers succumbed to the injuries sustained in the accident.
“In a tragic road accident, involving an army truck on December 23 at Zema in North Sikkim, 16 bravehearts of the Indian Army have lost their lives (sic),” the army said. (Agencies)
