Mortal remains of missing soldier recovered after 38 years

India

oi-Prakash KL

New
Delhi,
Aug
17:
The
mortal
remains
of
a
soldier,
who
went
missing
during
an
Army
operation
in
Siachen
in
1984
and
was
recovered
a
few
days
ago,
arrived
in
Leh
on
Wednesday.

The
wreath
laying
was
carried
out
with
full
military
honours
and
mortal
remains
will
be
handed
over
to
the
family.

The
Sainik
Group
Centre
in
Ranikhet
on
Sunday
identified
the
body
as
that
of
Chandrashekhar
Harbola
of
the
19
Kumaon
Regiment.
Harbola
was
part
of
a
20-member
troop
that
was
dispatched
to
the
world’s
highest
battlefield
for
‘Operation
Meghdoot’ to
fight
Pakistan
in
1984.

Mortal
remains
of
2
Indians
killed
in
Abu
Dhabi
drone
attack
reaches
Punjab

During
patrolling,
they
came
into
the
grip
of
an
ice
storm.
While
the
bodies
of
15
soldiers
were
recovered,
those
of
the
other
five
could
not
be
found
and
Harbola
was
one
among
them.
According
to
the
Indian
Army,
the
late
soldier
was
identified
with
the
help
of
the
identification
disk
bearing
his
Army
number.

Mortal
Remains
of
LNk(Late)
Chander
Shekhar
who
lost
his
life
during
deployment
in
Operation
Meghdoot
in
1984
arrived
in
Leh.
Wreath
laying
was
carried
out
with
full
military
honours
&
mortal
remains
to
be
handed
over
to
family:
Fire
and
Fury
Corps,
Indian
Army

pic.twitter.com/yLLNC323Ja

— ANI (@ANI)

August
17,
2022

Also,
he
had
been
deployed
for
Operation
Meghdoot
at
Gyongla
Glacier
in
1984.

His
wife
Shanti
Devi,
originally
from
Almora,
currently
lives
in
Saraswati
Vihar
Colony
in
Haldwani.

Shanti
Devi
said
at
the
time,
that
they
were
married
for
nine
years
and
that
she
was
28.
Their
elder
daughter
at
the
time
was
four
and
the
younger
one
was
one
and
a
half
years
old.

IAF
chopper
crash:
Identification
of
mortal
remains
of
6
others
completed

She
said
Harbola
had
last
arrived
home
in
January
1984,
during
which
he
had
promised
to
return
soon.
However,
Shanti
Devi
said
she
was
proud
of
her
husband
as
he
prioritized
his
service
to
the
country
over
the
promises
made
to
the
family.

According
to
information
available,
Harbola,
a
resident
of
Dwarahat
in
Almora,
had
enlisted
in
the
army
in
1975.
Reportedly,
the
body
of
another
soldier
was
also
found
but
his
identity
was
yet
to
be
ascertained.