Sikkim Landslide: Army Officer, family among 6 missing
Lieutenant Colonel Pritpal Singh Sandhu of the Indian Army, his family and three other Army personnel are missing due to a landslide in Sikkim. Relief work is being hampered due to bad weather. The army has launched a search operation in the area and rescued 113 tourists.
An Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel, his family, and three other military personnel are suspected to be trapped under debris from a major landslide in Sikkim. Despite occurring nearly 72 hours ago, rescue efforts are being hindered by unfavorable weather conditions.
The Indian Army reported that Lt Col Pritpal Singh Sandhu, his wife Squadron Leader Aarti Sandhu (retd), their daughter Amyra, Subedar Dharamveer, Naik Sunilal Muchahar, and Sepoy Sinchuddin P.K. Singh lost their lives in the incident. They were at the location of the landslides in Sikkim. All these individuals have been unaccounted for since the event.
On June 1, an Indian Army camp in Sikkim was struck by a landslide, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers. Additionally, six individuals remain unaccounted for. According to the Army, the landslide took place around 7 p.m. at the Army camp in the Cheten area of Lachen district. Heavy rains are thought to have triggered the landslide. Four people were successfully rescued by troops involved in the relief and rescue efforts.
In this unfortunate landslide incident, the remains of three courageous soldiers, Havildar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Manish Thakur, and porter Abhishek Lakhra, have been found. The Army reported that rescue teams are searching for six missing individuals in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. Amid this disaster, the Indian Army has stepped in to assist local residents and stranded tourists.
Despite the extremely harsh conditions, the Army is persistently conducting relief and rescue operations. Lachen village, a key tourist destination in the area, has been completely isolated due to landslides. The Army has established foot communication and has evacuated 113 stranded tourists so far.
Simultaneously, on June 3, 30 tourists were safely evacuated using army helicopters. Concurrently, a search operation is underway with urgency to locate six individuals who went missing following a landslide at the army camp. The Army has assigned specialized search teams and engineering tools for this mission. However, ongoing difficult conditions, including adverse weather, unstable terrain, and high altitude, are obstructing the rescue operations.