Two Jawans from Odisha among 20 martyred in Galwan Valley standoff

Bhubaneswar: Two Jawans from Odisha are among the 20 Indian Army personnel who were martyred in the violent face-off  with Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh on Monday night.

The two soldiers are Chandrakant Pradhan from Biarpanga village in Kandhamal district and Nanduram Soren of Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj.

Government sources said several Indian Army soldiers are critically injured and are undergoing treatment. The number of casualties could increase further, in what is being seen as one of the deadliest attack carried out by Chinese People’s Liberation Army at Line of Actual Control.

“The number of critically injured personnel is in double digit. Indian Army refused to comment on the numbers and stated that several are injured,” Government sources added.

The attack on Indian Army personnel by the Chinese Army happened on Monday night and it continued for almost six to seven hours. On Tuesday, Indian helicopters flew around 16 times to bring bodies and injured Indian Army personnel from the site of attack at Galwan Valley. Four bodies of Indian Army personnel were flown to Leh from Galwan on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday, Indian Army stated that 20 of their men, including officers, were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with the PLA troops at Galwan.

“17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the standoff location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to injuries taking the total casualties to 20, ” said a statement issued by Indian Army on Tuesday night.

The force further stated that Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged in the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and June 16, 2020. The force further stated that Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation.

(With agency inputs)