"Extremely tragic": Priyanka Gandhi condoles death of Army personnel in Sikkim landslide

India Gazette

02-06-2025

New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday condoled the death of three Army personnel after a landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, struck the military camp at Chaten in Lachen town of Sikkim.
In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, 'The news of our soldiers being martyred due to a landslide at an army camp in Sikkim is extremely tragic. May God grant peace to the departed souls and a place at His divine feet. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families.'
'The nation will always remain indebted to our martyrs and their families,' the Congress MP said.
Three army personnel died and six others went missing in the June 1 incident.
Four individuals have been rescued with minor injuries, while the mortal remains of three brave personnel--Havaldar Lakhbindar Singh, Lance Naik Manish Thakur and Porter Abhishek Lakra-- have been recovered, said the army.
Lt Gen Zubin Minawalla, GOC Trishakti Corps, visited the site to oversee rescue efforts.
Rescue teams are relentlessly working around the clock under extremely challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions to locate and rescue the six personnel who remain missing.
The Indian Army expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the bravehearts who lost their lives in the incident. Every effort is being made to provide necessary support to the bereaved families in this hour of grief, the Army said.
'The Indian Army remains steadfast in its commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of all its personnel, demonstrating its unyielding spirit and dedication to duty even in the face of nature's fury,' the Army said in a statement.
Incessant rainfall and a cloudburst in northern Sikkim on the night of May 30-31 triggered widespread devastation, severely damaging critical roads and bridges. The River Teesta surged sharply, snapping regional connectivity.
In view of the grim situation, Project Swastik of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has swiftly launched rescue and restoration operations in the Gangtok-Chungthang and Chungthang-Lachen/Lachung sectors.
Earlier today, tourists in Lachung were actively evacuated through a coordinated effort involving the police, residents, forest personnel, and the Lachung Hotel Association.
Gyatso Lachungpa, president of the Lachung Hotel Association, led the evacuation operation on the ground with support from the local administration.
On Sunday, Mangan district Superintendent of Police Dechu Bhutia said that over a thousand tourists were stranded in Lachen and Lachung in Mangan District due to the rains inducing landslides, bridge collapse and damage due to a high rise of the River Teesta. (ANI)