New Delhi
The 20 soldiers, including a commanding officer who were killed in action in Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh, came from almost all parts of India: from Punjab in the west to West Bengal and Bihar in the east. Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu was from Telangana. Their bodies after ceremonial send-off were flown to their hometowns.
Expressing condolences, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the loss of soldiers in Galwan valley is “deeply disturbing and painful”. He said Indian soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
“The nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers,” said the Union Defence Minister.
He said the nation stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them in this difficult hour. “We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s bravehearts,” Singh said.
About the bravery of their officers, the Indian Army said, “Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of our valiant soldiers at Galwan. We offer deepest condolences to the families and stand strong in our resolve towards protecting the sovereignty and integrity of our country. Their sacrifices will not go in vain.”
The 20 Indian Army men includes a Colonel, three Naib Subedars, three Havaldars, one Naik and twelve sepoys. The names of the officers are as follows:
Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu: from Hyderabad; he was the commanding officer of the company that was brutally attacked; lost his life during the fight. Three Naib Subedars are Nuduram Soren from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, Mandeep Singh from Patiala in Punjab and Satnam Singh from Gurdaspur in Punjab.
The three Havaldars are K Palani from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, Sunil Kumar from Patna in Bihar and Bipul Roy from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. One Naik is Deepak Kumar from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.
The 12 sepoys are Rajesh Orang from Birbhum in West Bengal, Kundan Kumar Ojha from Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Ganesh from Kanker in Chhattisgarh, Chandrakanta Pradhan from Kandhamal in Odisha, Ankush from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, Gurbinder from Sangrur in Punjab, Gurtej from Mansa in Punjab, Chandan Kumar from Bhojpur in Bihar, Kundan Kumar from Saharsa n Bihar, Aman Kumar from Samastipur in Bihar, Jai Kishore from Vaishali in Bihar and Ganesh Hansada from East Singhbhum in Jharkhand.
5 of 20 Galwan martyrs are from Bihar
Law Kumar Mishra / Patna
Bodies of five jawans of Bihar Regiment, martyred in clash with China’s PLA, will reach Patna on Thursday for their final rites. Of the 20 martyrs, five are from different parts of Bihar.
According to sources, Havildar Sunil Kumar, Sepoys Aman Kumar Singh, Jaikumar Singh, Chandan Kumar and Kundan Kumar are from Bihar. Hundreds of friends and relatives of the brave jawans rushed to villages defying lockdown restrictions and social distancing. Their families had received messages about their martyrdom late on Tuesday night from Army headquarters. Officials of district administrations also visited parents of the martyrs and offered condolences on behalf of the government.
Niminder Yadav, Aman Singh’s father said he was married last year. He had visited his village at Mohiuddin nagar in Samastipur in February this year and gone to Ladakh after his leave got over. RJD MLA Ezya Yadav visited Aman’s village and consoled wife and parents. His father said late Tuesday night there was a call from Army headquarters informing him of the supreme sacrifice of Aman.
A large number of people from different parts of Patna visited Shikariya village under Bihta block after getting news of martyrdom of Havildar Sunil Kumar. His father Vasudev Shah who is physically handicapped said his son had joined the Army in 2002.
Chinese casualties ‘in single digits’ so far
SUMIT KUMAR SINGH
New Delhi
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has suffered casualties in single digits so far during their brutal attack on Indian Army personnel at Galwan valley at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that has so far killed 20 Indian soldiers, sources said.
“Their casualties are as low and in single digits so far,” sources told IANS. Indian Army has refused to comment on the number of Chinese Army casualties. “It takes time to analyse the casualties in the opposite camp during such violent attacks. Lot of factors are involved to reach specifics,” the army officer said.
Source in a top intelligence agency stated that casualties on the other side (Chinese) are in single digit according to “analysis done so far”. China is said to have used thermal imaging drones to trace the Indian Army soldiers scattered on the treacherous terrain before brutally attacking them.
“It was the deadliest attack carried on Indian Army personnel by the Chinese military personnel to our memory,” the government sources said. “We were outnumbered,” admitted an Indian Army officer, talking about the clash that went on for six to seven hours. On Wednesday, the government sources said several Indian Army soldiers are “critically injured” and are undergoing treatment.
The “causality numbers could increase” as the current critically injured personnel numbers are more than 10, the sources said. The Indian Army official, however, refused to comment on the numbers, but just said “several are injured”.
The force said Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area.
