Bodies of 9 soldiers brought to Delhi

The bodies of the nine soldiers killed in the avalanche on February 3 at Sonam base post on the Siachen glacier have been brought down to Delhi on Monday morning.

After giving full military honours the mortal remains of the soldiers will be flown to their respective places and handed over to their families for cremation as per their religious traditions.

Ten soldiers of 19 Madras regiment were buried under 35 feet of snow after their post at a height of 19,600 feet was hit by an avalanche on February 3.

Among them was Lance Naik Hanamathappa Koppad,



25, who was found alive under 35 feet of ice and snow last Tuesday and the nine bodies of others were recovered from the avalanche site. However the bodies could not be brought down due to bad weather.

On Saturday, they were brought down to Siachen base camp in helicopters and were waiting for further transportation. “In the ongoing rescue operations at Siachen, of the ten soldiers buried under ice Lance Naik Hanamanthappa has been found alive, all the other soldiers are regrettably no more with us,” Lt. Gen. DS Hooda, Northern Army commander had said.