Soldiers killed in boulder accident in Ladakh cremated with military honours in Punjab

The two soldiers killed in an accident in Ladakh were cremated with full military honours at their native places in Punjab on Thursday.

Lt Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh died, and three officers were injured, when a boulder fell on their army vehicle in eastern Ladakh on Wednesday.

The accident occurred in Charbagh near Durbuk in Galwan, some 200 km from Leh.

Earlier in the day, the bodies of Mankotia and Daljit Singh were brought to their native places in Pathankot and Gurdaspur's Shamsherpur village.

A large number of mourners gathered at their houses to pay their last respects to the armymen who died in the line of duty.

Daljit's father said Daljit had spoken to his mother on Tuesday and asked her to find a mason to build a house. "He hung up saying he will call back," the father, still in shock with his son's death, said.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann offered condolences to the soldiers' kin.

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak and officers from the army attended the cremation of Lt Col Mankotia in Pathankot.

Maj Mayank Shubham (14 Sindh Horse), Maj Amit Dixit and Capt Gaurav (60 Armd) were injured in the accident.

They were part of a convoy on a training move from Durbuk to Chongtash.