Wreath-laying held for soldiers died in Arunachal avalanche

Sonitpur (Assam): Paying homage to the soldiers who lost lives in an avalanche in the Kameng sector in Arunachal Pradesh, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at Tezpur AirForce Station here on Saturday, Asian News International reported.

Indian Army said that the soldiers Hav Jugal Kishore, Rfn Arun Kattal, Rfn Akshay Pathania, Rfn Vishal Sharma, Rfn Rakesh Singh, Rfn Ankesh Bhardwaj and Gnr (TA) Gurbaj Singh of Indian Army had made an extreme sacrifice in the line of duty. The Bravehearts were part of a patrol, the Indian Army said.

Military officials, including General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps Lt Gen Ravin Khosla paid final respects to the deceased. The mortal remains of the deceased were sent to Akhnoor, Kathua, Dharkalan, Khour, Bajinath, Kangra, Ghamarwin, and Batala. The soldiers were from the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

The unfortunate incident of avalanche occurred on February 6, 2022. Immediate rescue operations such as airlifting were initiated, and rescue teams recovered bodies of the soldiers in adverse weather conditions in the region. The area was at an altitude of 14,500 feet and as treacherous terrain and high peaks.

The heavy snowfall and the weather conditions had challenged the rescue drive carried out by specialised crews, making it difficult for them to locate and recover the soldiers.