LG Sinha, CS Dulloo Mourn Death of KAS Officer, Son in Landslide

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo have expressed profound grief over the tragic death of Rajinder Singh Rana, JKAS officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ramnagar, along with his 10-year-old son Arav, in a landslide in Reasi district.

Extremely saddened by the landslide incident in Dharmari, Reasi in which we have lost an outstanding officer Sh Rajinder Singh, JKAS 2011, SDM Ramnagar & his son. The tragedy is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to bereaved family & I pray that the injured recover quickly.

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) August 1, 2025

The Lieutenant Governor called the incident “heart-wrenching” and paid tribute to Singh as an “outstanding officer”. “Extremely saddened by the landslide incident in Dharmari, Reasi in which we have lost an outstanding officer Rajinder Singh, JKAS 2011, SDM Ramnagar and his son. The tragedy is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family and I pray that the injured recover quickly,” Sinha said in a post on X.

He also directed senior officials to provide the best possible treatment to the injured and extend all necessary support to the bereaved family.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, in his condolence message, described Singh as a dedicated officer whose integrity and commitment to public service earned him the respect of colleagues and citizens alike. He expressed anguish over the death of Singh’s young son and assured full administrative support to the injured. “The entire administration stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and prays for their strength in this unimaginable loss,” he said.

The fatal incident occurred late Friday evening when a Scorpio vehicle (JK20A-1624) carrying Singh and his family was travelling from Dharmari to Pattian. Around 10 pm, as the vehicle reached Sulkh Nallah, a sudden landslide buried it under debris. Singh, aged 47, and his son died on the spot, officials said.

Six others in the vehicle were seriously injured. They were identified as Surjeet Singh (40), Sharanya Singh (10), Nisha (40), Sarika (6), Pooja Rajput, and Thayer (20), all residents of Thuroo Pattian. The injured were initially shifted to PHC Dharmari and later referred to District Hospital Reasi for advanced treatment.

Police have taken cognisance of the incident, and an investigation is underway.