An illustrious career of a distinguished Army Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia, was tragically cut short when a massive boulder struck the military vehicle he was traveling in on Wednesday in the forward areas of Ladakh. Lt-Col Mankotia hailed from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.
The accident, which occurred around 11.30 am as an Army convoy moved from Durbuk to Chongtash, also claimed the life of Lance Dafadar Daljeet Singh and left three officers, including two Major rank officers and a captain, injured.
Lt-Col Mankotia, a fourth-generation Army officer, was celebrated for his exemplary service and leadership. His father also served in the Indian army.
A standout from his early days, Lt-Col Mankotia earned the prestigious Sword of Honour at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in June 2012 for being the best all-round cadet during his passing-out parade.
The tragic incident occurred when a boulder fell from a cliff, crushing one of the vehicles in the convoy.
The injured officers were promptly evacuated to an Army hospital in Leh, where they are receiving treatment. The Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps, in a statement, saluted the fallen soldiers, expressing deep condolences to their families. “GOC, Fire and Fury Corps, and all ranks salute Lieutenant Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Ladakh on 30 Jul 2025,” the Corps posted on X.
Lt-Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, and all ranks of the Northern Command also paid homage to the bravehearts Lt-Col Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. In recent years, Ladakh has witnessed several accidents involving Indian army soldiers.
Last year, on 28 June 2024, a Junior commissioned officer (JCO) along with four other soldiers, returning from a military training activity, were reportedly swept away in the flash floods while crossing the Shyok River near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Nyoma-Chushul area in Ladakh.
On 19 August 2023, a junior commissioned officer and eight soldiers died when an army truck that was part of a five-vehicle convoy veered off the road and plunged into a gorge near Kiari in Ladakh. Another soldier was injured in the accident.
On May 27, 2022, seven army jawans died and 19 others received critical injuries after a vehicle in which they were traveling fell into the Shyok river, 25km ahead of Thoise, in Turtuk sector of Ladakh.