Tragedy in Kashmir on Republic Day
NATURE’S FURY Avalanche kills 10 soldiers, many still trapped
SRINAGAR: At least 10 soldiers were killed and several colleagues are missing after avalanches hit an army camp and a patrol in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, officials said on Thursday.
They are the latest casualties in the Kashmir Valley swamped by heavy snowfall.
The twin incidents happened barely hours after an Army major was killed in Ganderbal district, also in an avalanche.
A military spokesperson said 10 bodies were recovered since an avalanche struck the camp in the Gurez sector on Wednesday night and a patrol team was buried under a separate snowslide earlier.
Police informed that the men CHINA INDIA
belonged to 51 Rashtriya Rifles.
Rescue teams are working to detect at least four missing soldiers, feared trapped under several feet of snow and rock debris. But the progress is slow because of the harsh weather and terrain.
“Search operations helped us rescue a JCO (junior commissioned officer) and six soldiers, while the bodies of three more could be retrieved this morning (Thursday),” said the army Three from Rashtriya Rifles awarded for having gunned down the Hizbul militant, whose death plunged the Valley into one of its worst spells of violence in recent years. >>P9
spokesman, giving details about the incident at the camp.
From the patrol, only seven bodies have been recovered.
Kashmir has been witnessing one of the severest winters since 2006 and 1992, with heavy snow across the territory and temperature dropping to minus 7 degrees Celsius. But conditions are expected to improve from January 27.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 A PARADE OF MANY FIRSTS AND SOME GOVT SCHEMES Besides Tejas (left), the indigenous combat aircraft, and the NSG making their maiden appearance, PM Modi’s pet schemes like GST, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Kaushal Vikas Yojana were displayed at the parade. >>P3 >>P9 >>P9
WETTEST R-DAY IN 6 YEARS CAUSES CHANGE OF VENUE
The venue for the President’s ‘At Home’ programme was shifted from the Mughal Gardens to the Durbar and Ashoka halls. The Met office has not predicted any rain but a “partly cloudy sky” for Friday. >>P3