The Army on Tuesday accorded farewell to 19 soldiers who laid down their lives braving the vagaries of weather on the forward posts of north Kashmir’s Bandipora and Kupwara districts.
Fourteen soldiers died when massive avalanches struck in Gurez region of Bandipora district while five others laid down their lives in Macchil sector of Kupwara when they got buried under tons of snow as a pathway caved in during their patrol in the border region.
Commander of the Srinagar based XV corps lt Gen JS Sandhu along-with all ranks of the strategic corps paid rich tributes to the gallant soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the formidable heights in inhospitable weather conditions.
The Army officials reiterated that Army stands beside the bereaved families in their loss and shares their grief and pain.
Fourteen soldiers had been swept away in a devastating avalanche in Gurez on 25 January. Five soldiers in Machhil who had been rescued after they got trapped under snow when the track caved in on 28 January, succumbed to their injuries on Monday.
In a separate incident in Sonamarg area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, an officer Major Amit Sagar of 115 Bn Territorial Army (posted at High Altitude Warfare School, Sonmarg) was also killed on January 25 in a snow avalanche in the area.
The officials from other security agencies including J&K Police, CRPF, BSF and SSB also joined in paying their last respects to the deceased soldiers.
The mortal remains of all the soldiers were airlifted to their native places where their last rites will be performed by the family members.