A beacon official who was injured after mud and snow slide triggered while the agencies concerned were clearing the snow at Ferkiyaan top along the Kupwara-Keran road on Sunday, succumbed to injuries.
Amandeep Singh (belt no. 15588066 L) was evacuated in the unconscious state soon after he came under the mud and snow slide at Ferkiyaan Top in Keran sector. He was initially shifted to nearby military hospital where from he was referred to army’s 92 base hospitals Badamibagh Srinagar; however, on reaching Baramulla Singh succumbed to injuries.
A senior army officer confirmed the death of the driver of the bulldozer. Earlier, the officer had told GNS that a group of beacon labourers of 109 RCC regiment presently attached with Army’s 268 brigade in Keran was pressed into service by authorities to clear snow along the Kupwara-Keran road. 'A bulldozer and at least twelve labourers were on job. Suddenly, a mud and snow slide occurred and the driver (of bulldozer) Amandeep Singh came under it," the officer had said. He had said that the soldiers of the nearby brigade immediately started the rescue operation and evacuated the driver, who was in an unconscious state. In the incident, all the 12 labourers had a miraculous escape.
The officer, meanwhile, ruled out the avalanche and had said: "it was actually a mud and snow slide which came at a time when the bulldozer was clearing the heap of snow along the road, and its upper side the slides occurred".