Reason behind fire being ascertained
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: An Army Captain was killed and three soldiers were injured when fire engulfed their camp at Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield in the world, in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
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The incident took place at the Siachen Glacier at the height of 18875 feet from sea level at around 3 am today, official reports said.
They said four Army personnel suffered injuries in the incident.
While the Army’s Regimental Medical Officer, Captain Anshuman Singh, succumbed to serious burn injuries, three other personnel suffered smoke inhalation and second-degree burns, the reports said.
The injured have been safely air evacuated for further treatment, and their condition is stated to be stable, they added.
They said there was no loss of ammunition and other stores.
Reasons behind the fire couldn’t be ascertained immediately.
Body of the fallen soldier will be airlifted to his home town after wreath laying ceremony and completion of other formalities.
The inhospitable climate and avalanche-prone areas have claimed more lives than any gunfire in the Glacier. In view of harsh weather, the Army can deploy one soldier in Siachen for a period of only few months.
For the past several years, no shots have been fired by the Indo-Pak troops which man the Glacier on their sides.
At Siachen, the Indian Army spends as much as 80 per cent of its time preparing soldiers for deployment. A war memorial on the banks of the Nubra River has the names of Indian soldiers who laid down their lives on the Glacier.
Meanwhile, Northern Command chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and all other ranks offered deepest condolences & salute the braveheart Captain Anshuman Singh, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, in Siachen Sector.
In a tweet, the Northern Command said: “Indian Army stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief”.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgayal has paid tribute to the Army officer who sacrificed his life for the nation at Siachen Glacier.
“In the face of tragedy, I pay tribute to Capt Anshuman, a courageous hero who gave his life protecting his soldiers in the Siachen fire incident. His selflessness and valour will be eternally cherished. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones. May Capt Anshuman rest in peace,” Namgayal tweeted.
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