On May 28, a First Investigation Report (FIR) was registered against bus driver Ahmed Shah for negligent driving in connection to the case where seven Indian Army soldiers lost their lives, and 19 soldiers were injured after the bus carrying them fell in the Shyok river in the Turtuk sector of Ladakh. The FIR has been registered under sections 279 (rash or negligent driving), 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life), and 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code at Nubra police station.
As per reports, the accident took place at around 9 AM on 27th May, 2022 about 25 KM from Those. It was a privately hired bus from transit camp at Partapur. 26 soldiers were travelling to a forward location that comes under Sub Sector Hanif. During transit, the bus skidded off the road and fell into the Shyok river. The bus driver jumped out of the bus seconds before the vehicle fell to a depth of around 50-60 feet. All the occupants sustained injuries, and seven of them were declared dead.
Prima facie case of negligent driving – said Police
Inspector Stanzin Dorje, SHO, Nubra, said, “Prima facie, it appeared to be a case of driver’s negligence.” Another police officer was quoted by Hindustan Times saying, “The driver, Ahmed Shah of Changmar, lost control of the bus, and it rolled down into a deep gorge, around 80 to 90 feet deep. Rescue operations were launched by Leh police, Army and locals.”
The rescue operation was carried out by the Indian Army with the help of Leh Police and locals. Initially, the soldiers were taken to the 403 Field Hospital at Partapur. Surgical teams were brought from Leh to Partapur. Later, the 19 soldiers who had sustained injuries were flown to Western Command Hospital in Chandi Mandir (Chandigarh).
In a tweet, Western Command, Indian Army, said, “19 soldiers injured in a bus accident near Partapur were airlifted & moved through Green Corridor in Chandigarh for treatment to Command Hospital. Prompt surgical procedures were undertaken on critically injured & all are stable currently.”
#WesternCommand 19 soldiers injured in bus accident near #Partapur were air lifted & moved through Green Corridor in Chandigarh for treatment to #CommandHospital. Prompt surgical procedures were undertaken on critically injured & all are stable currently@adgpi @NorthernComd_IA pic.twitter.com/soRLI97AIu
— Western Command – Indian Army (@westerncomd_IA) May 28, 2022
Families of the deceased were informed by Army
The Indian Army has officially informed the families of the soldiers who had lost their lives in the accident. The bodies of the soldiers will be moved to Delhi, from where separate civilian aircraft will carry the mortal remains to their native places.
The soldiers who lost their lives in the accident were Subedar Shinde Vijayrao from Satara, Maharashtra; Naib Subedar Gurudayal Sahu from Betul, Madhya Pradesh; Naik Sandeep Pal from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand; Naik Ramanuj Kumar from Patna, Bihar; Naik Jadhav Prashant Shivaji from Kolhapur, Maharashtra and Lance Naik Bappaditya Khutia from Pashchim Medinipur in West Bengal.
