PATHANKOT/GURDASPUR, July 31 — The two Indian Army personnel who lost their lives in a tragic accident in Ladakh were cremated with full military honours in their native towns in Punjab on Thursday, as grief-stricken families and locals bid them a tearful farewell.
Lt Colonel Bhanu Pratap Singh Mankotia and Lance Dafadar Daljit Singh were killed when a massive boulder fell on their military vehicle in Charbagh near Durbuk, in the Galwan sector, around 200 km from Leh, on Wednesday. Three other officers were injured in the incident.
Their mortal remains were flown in earlier in the day and received at their homes in Pathankot and Shamsherpur village in Gurdaspur, where hundreds gathered to pay final respects.
Daljit’s father, struggling to hold back tears, recalled his son’s last phone call just a day before the tragedy. “He spoke to his mother on Tuesday and asked her to find a mason to build a house. He hung up saying he would call back,” he said.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann extended condolences to the bereaved families. Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, senior Army officers, and local dignitaries attended the cremation of Lt Col Mankotia in Pathankot.
The injured officers — Maj Mayank Shubham (14 Sindh Horse), Maj Amit Dixit, and Capt Gaurav (60 Armd) — were part of a training convoy moving from Durbuk to Chongtash when the accident struck.
The Army has initiated an internal inquiry into the incident, while the injured personnel are undergoing treatment.
The soldiers were honoured for their service and sacrifice, as families, villagers, and fellow officers stood united in sorrow and pride.
