New Delhi: As India celebrates the 75 momentous years of independence, a family in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani is set for a quiet closure after a wait of 38 years.
The mortal remains of Lance Naik Chandra Shekhar, who was part of 1984 Operation Meghdoot in Siachen, were discovered in an old bunker at the glacier on August 13, India Today reported.
Chandra Shekhar’s 65-year-old wife, their two daughters, other family members and several veterans of his 19 Kumaon regiment unit will finally get to bid the braveheart a final goodbye.
The two daughters were 8 years and 4 years old when tragedy struck Chandra Shekhar.
He was part of the team tasked with capturing Point 5965, which Pakistanis were also targeting. The Indian Army pre-empted the enemy’s move and immediately dispatched the 19 Kumaon regiment team.
It was one of the first actions under Operation Meghdoot. Siachen Glacier was occupied on May 29, 1984.
“The party, while halting for the night, was caught in an avalanche in which 18 Indian Army soldiers including one officer, Second Lieutenant PS Pundir, were killed,” said an official.
The mortal remains of 14 of the deceased personnel were found, but 5 were missing.
It was by a matter of chance that skeletal remains of one of the soldiers were found in Siachen yesterday at more than 16,000 feet. What helped in the identification of Lance Naik Chandra Shekhar was a disc with Army number which was found along with skeletal remains.
“In summer months, as snow melts, patrols are tasked to locate missing soldiers. The skeletal remains were found inside an old bunker at Siachen glacier,” the official added.
Chandra Shekhar’s mortal remains will be taken to Haldwani, where a large gathering is expected to pay homage.
