IAF airlifts bodies of Galwan martyrs from Leh

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 18

The Indian Air Force on Thursday airlifted the mortal remains of 20 soldiers, who died in a violent face-off with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley this week, from Leh.

The bodies were brought to Chandigarh in a service aircraft and from here they will be further airlifted by different IAF aircraft to airports nearest to the fallen troops’ respective villages.

The aircraft reached Chandigarh in the afternoon. Full-service honours were accorded to the soldiers and wreaths were laid on their coffins.

Five of the fallen soldiers were from the region, with four being from Punjab and one from Himachal Pradesh. Their bodies are being sent from Chandigarh to their native place by road, and are expected to reach there by evening.

They include Nb Sub Satnam Singh of Gurdaspur, Nb Sub Mandeep Singh of Patiala, Sep Gurbinder Singh of Sangrur, Sep Gurtej Singh of Mansa and Sep Ankush Thakur of Hamirpur.

IAF aircraft would further ferry the bodies to Hyderabad, Patna, Ranchi, Bhubneshwar, Bagdogra, Panagarh and Raipur and from there the last leg of the journey to their home would be by road.

Of the 20 soldiers killed in the face-off, which include a colonel commanding an infantry battalion, 13 were from the Bihar Regiment, three from the Punjab Regiment, three from the artillery and one from another unit.