NEW DELHI – Six Indian Army soldiers and as many civilians were killed infour avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir since Monday night, police and defencesources said.
An avalanche hit an Army post in Machil sector along the Line of Control onTuesday, trapping five soldiers. A rescue operation was launched but noneof the soldiers could be saved, they said.
Another avalanche struck a village in Gagangir area of Ganderbal districton Monday night in which five civilians were killed while four others wererescued, police said.
Another civilian died in Gurez of Bandipora district.
In the fourth incident, a 29-year-old BSF jawan was killed and six otherswere rescued after an avalanche hit their post along the LoC in Kashmir’sNaugam sector at 8:30 pm on Monday.
Officials identified the deceased as constable Ganga Bara of the 77thbattalion of the force.
“There were a total of seven troops deployed in the affected area. Whilesix were safely rescued, constable Bara could not be revived even aftermuch effort,” a senior officer of the border guarding force said.
The jawan hails from the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal and had joinedthe BSF in 2011.
The Border Security Force (BSF) is deployed along the LoC under theoperational command of the Army as part of guarding the front againstPakistan.