Three soldiers killed in Kupwara avalanche

The deceased were identified as Havaldar Kamlesh Kumar, Niak Balbeer and Sepor Rajinder

Three soldiers were killed and one injured as a snow avalanche hit a border outpost in Machil Sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara on Friday.

"In an unfortunate incident of avalanche in Machil sector, the Army lost three valiant soldiers", said an army release. "One soldier was injured. No one missing," an army official said.

Preliminary reports suggest a post belonging to the army's 21 Rajput came under an avalanche around 4:30 p.m. at Sona Pandi Gali (in Machil near the Line of Control (LoC).

Initially, four soldiers were declared missing. However, a search operation evacuated all the trapped. "However, one died on the spot and two others succumbed while referring to 92 base hospital Badamibagh, Srinagar," said an official.

One solider, Sepoy Bipin, is "stable in the hospital".

The deceased were identified as Havaldar Kamlesh Kumar, Niak Balbeer and Sepor Rajinder