Srinagar. On Friday, three soldiers of an army patrol party were martyred after being hit by a heavy avalanche in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The army gave this information on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Lance Naik Mukesh Kumar (22) of Sajwantgarh village in Nagaur district in Rajasthan, Naik Gaikwad Lakshma Rao (41) of Chunchakkade in Dhule in Maharashtra and Gunner Souvik Hazra originated as Khamarberia of Bankura, West Bengal. The Army said routine patrolling was carried out in the Machil sector on the intervening night of 17-18 November. Gunner Hajra complained of difficulty in breathing.
The army said in a statement that it was planned to take him to the nearest post after preliminary investigation. While moving towards the post the patrol was hit by a heavy avalanche. Search and rescue operation was started immediately. According to the statement, the condition of Gunner Hazra, who was suffering from hyperthermia, started deteriorating. He was airlifted to 168 Military Hospital in Kupwara. where he died. Lance Naik Mukesh was located by the search party at the spot and was airlifted to Kupwara at around 2.30 pm where he also succumbed to his injuries. After this, after a massive search operation, Naik Gaikwad was traced at around 4.30 pm and he was taken to the hospital in Kupwara.
Naik Gaikwad had joined the Army in 2002 and is survived by wife. Lance Naik Mukesh Kumar had joined the Army in 2018 and is survived by his mother. Gunner Hazra had joined the Army in 2019. He is his uncle. The mortal remains of the three martyrs will be taken for last rites to their native places, where they will be cremated with full military honours, the army said in a statement.
