The body of a soldier, Lance Naik Chandrashekhar Harbol, who went missing in Siachen in 1984, was recovered after 38 years. The mortal remains have now reached his home in Haldwani.
A Siachen Hero
Lance Naik Chandrashekhar Harbola, the soldier whose body was found in a bunker 38 years after he went missing on the Siachen Glacier, was cremated with full military honors at Haldwani in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on Wednesday.
According to reports, Lance Naik Chandra Shekhar was part of a team that was given the task of capturing Point 5965, an important feature that the Pakistanis were eyeing. This was pre-empted by the Indian Army and a team from the 19 Kumaon regiment, that Lance Naik Shekhar was part of, was immediately despatched. This was one of the first actions under Operation Meghdoot to occupy Siachen Glacier, which took place on 29 May 1984.
Lance Naik was part of a five-member team of soldiers patrolling the area when it was caught in a snow avalanche on 29 May 1984. According to the officials, neither his nor the bodies of the other four members who were part of the patrol were found after the avalanche hit it.
Soldier laid to rest with full military honors
The body remains of the soldier were found after 38 years from the world’s highest battlefield, notably when the nation was remembering the freedom fighters and soldiers to mark the 75th Independence Day.
His daughter Kavita, who was eight when her father died, said they had lost all hopes of her father’s body being found. “But at least we will get solace now and closure of sorts after conducting his last rites,” she said.
As Lance Naik Harbola’s mortal remains were brought home on Wednesday, the entire area echoed with patriotic slogans. After his family and others paid their last respect, Lance Naik Harbola’s mortal remains were taken to Chitrashila Ghat, Ranibagh, for cremation.
#WATCH | Mortal remains of Lance Naik Chandrashekhar, recovered after 38 years from Siachen glacier brought to his home in Haldwani, Uttarakhand
The jawan had gone missing in an Avalanche on May 29, 1984, during operation Meghdoot pic.twitter.com/GA0HfyFygg
— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2022
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, sainik welfare minister Ganesh Joshi, and women empowerment minister Rekha Arya met his wife, Shanti Devi, 63, to convey their condolences and pay homage to the soldier before the last rites.
Haldwani, the hometown of Lance Naik Chandrashekhar to pay his last respects
Lance Naik Chandrashekhar's mortal remains were recovered after 38 years from the #Siachen glacier (ANI) pic.twitter.com/VXDsP0If8Y
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) August 17, 2022
Dhami said the people will always remember Chandrashekhar’s supreme sacrifice. “Sainik Dham is being established in the memory of the soldiers of Uttarakhand who made sacrifices for the country. The memories of the martyr Chandrashekhar will also be preserved in the Sainik Dham,” he said.
