5 soldiers Along With A Tank Swept Away in A River Drill Exercise Near to China Border

The tank got stuck due to high currents and a sudden increase in water levels in the Shyok River, the Army’s 14 Corps said.

5 Army soldiers Swept away in a flash flood in Shyok river in the Daulat Beg Oldie region of Eastern Ladakh Near to the Line of Actual Control with China, late on Friday night.

Details of the accident

One junior commissioned officer (JCO) and other four jawans riding on in a Russian origin T-72 main – battle tank were ‘de-inducting’ from a drill exercise when flash flood hit Shyok river near Saser Brangsa area.

The names of the deceased are MRK Reddy (JCO), Subhan Khan, Bhupendra Negi, Ekeidaung Teibam & Sadarbonia Nagaraju.

An officer said, “Rescue teams, including combat engineers in boats, rushed to the location. But the soldiers could not be saved due to strong current in the river. All bodies were later recovered”.

The night drill practise was happening in the first place because of India’s border stand off with China which is now continuing for 5th year.

To connect proper roads for military purpose and betterment the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is in the final stages of completing a 130-km road that would connect Samosa in Nubra Valley to Saser Brangsa DBO post.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences to the deceased and their families. He said, “loss of 5 soldiers is an unfortunate accident” and “we will never forget the exemplary service of our gallant soldiers. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.”

India has deployed 50,000 all the time ready troops, along with 100 tanks and 330 BMP infantry combat vehicles as well as plenty much of artillery guns and surface-to-air missile systems, to counter any Chinese intrusion.

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