4 SSB personnel injured in landslide near Indo-Nepal Border in Uttarakhand

Pithoragarh: Four Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were injured—one of them seriously—after a sudden landslide occurred near the Ailagar suspension bridge on the Tanakpur–Tawaghat highway, close to Dharchula town in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district on Monday evening.

According to SSB Assistant Commandant Juber Ansari, the personnel were resting near the bridge, which lies along the Indo-Nepal border, after it was closed to public movement at 6 pm

“All four of our personnel were asleep near the Ailagar suspension bridge when the landslide occurred. One of them sustained serious injuries and has been kept under medical observation at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Dharchula. The other three are stable and out of danger,” Ansari said.

The injured personnel have been identified as Mahajan Mohan Ravindra, Ajay Kumar, Suresh Chand, and Shiwani Kumar.

The incident has also led to the stranding of over 100 vehicles on both sides of the highway, disrupting movement of Adi Kailash pilgrims, local villagers, and security personnel headed to high-altitude posts along the India–China border, officials said.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dharchula, Manjit Singh, who rushed to the spot, said the injured were immediately shifted to hospital by SSB personnel. “Heavy debris has accumulated on the road, and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working to clear the route as soon as possible,” he added.

The Ailagar bridge is a crucial link connecting India with Nepal and holds strategic importance for both civilian and security movement in the region.