Siachen tragedy: 9 soldiers’ bodies to be in Delhi today

The bodies of the other nine Army bravehearts, who died in the avalanche that struck their post in Siachen Glacier on February 3, are likely to be brought to New Delhi by Monday, if weather permits. In all, 10 soldiers had perished on account of the avalanche. The tenth soldier, Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, had last week breathed his last at the Army R&R Hospital in the Capital after being rescued alive earlier. The Army had located the bodies of the other nine soldiers at that time.

The weather at Khardung La remains extremely poor and all attempts to bring the mortal remains of the nine soldiers to Leh are being made, a senior Army officer was cited by news agencies, as saying. If weather permits, the bodies will be brought to the national capital not before Monday, he was cited as saying. A wreath-laying ceremony is expected to be held here.

“Plan to further move the mortal remains to Bangalore, Chennai, Trivandrum, Madurai, Pune, Hyderabad, is in place,” the Army officer was quoted as saying. The mortal remains of the soldiers were transported from Siachen Glacier to the base camp on Saturday.

According to defence sources, number of Indian casualties at the Siachen Glacier, mostly due to harsh weather conditions, over the past three decades is nearing 1,000.