Officials recovered the bodies of two soldiers, identified as Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh and Lance Naik Telu Ram, from the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after they were swept away by flash floods triggered by heavy rains. Indian Army said the personnel were crossing the Dogra nallah in the Surankote area when they were swept away by a strong current earlier on Saturday. A rescue operation was launched to trace two Indian Army personnel washed away in the Poshana River in Poonch.
PRO Defence Jammu said Naib Sub Kuldeep Singh was swept away in a flash flood while crossing a river during an area domination patrol in the difficult terrain of Poonch. It also said Lance Naik Telu Ram was washed away due to flash floods while crossing a mountainous stream during an area domination patrol in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch.
On its official Twitter account, White Knight Corps said, “During an area domination patrol in the difficult terrain of Poonch, L/Nk Telu Ram while crossing a mountainous stream got swept away due to flash floods. Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh, the Patrol leader while attempting to save L/Nk Telu Ram also laid down his life.”
After the rescue operation, the body of Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh was fished out from the stream on Saturday night while the mortal remains of Lance Naik Telu Ram were recovered on Sunday, reported PTI.
Indian Army paid tributes to the deceased soldiers hailing from Punjab The army said the General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps, also known as 16 Corps, and all ranks salute the brave soldiers and stand in solidarity with their families.
A defence spokesman revealed that Naib Subedar Singh was a resident of Chabhal Kalan in Taran Taran while Lance Naik Ram was a resident of Khurali village of Hoshiarpur. The spokesperson also said the mortal remains of the deceased would be sent to their native places in Punjab after a wreath-laying ceremony.