Srinagar: The Army on Saturday paid rich tributes to Major Sankalp Yadav who was killed in a helicopter crash and Lance Havildar Bhonde Chandrasekhar Rupchand who died in a road accident in north Kashmir.
“In a solemn ceremony at BB Cantt, Army commander, Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and all ranks paid homage to the gallant soldiers on behalf of the proud nation,” a defence spokesman said.
He said Maj Yadav was killed when an Army Cheetah helicopter crashed on Friday in Baraub area of Gurez in Bandipora district while on a routine mission to evacuate an ailing soldier from a forward post.
Maj Yadav (29) was commissioned into the Indian Army in 2015. He hailed from Jaipur in Rajasthan and is survived by his father.
Lance Havildar Rupchand was on a quick reaction team duty when the vehicle he was travelling in met with an accident near Kalaroos in Kupwara, the spokesman said.
“The braveheart had fallen out of the vehicle and had rolled down into a valley. Immediate rescue operations were launched and he was evacuated to a military hospital, wherein the braveheart succumbed to his injuries,” the spokesman said.
Lance Havildar Rupchand (34) had joined the Indian Army in 2008. He belonged to Dongar Gaon in Bhandara district of Maharashtra and is survived by wife.
“The mortal remains of Maj Sankalp Yadav and Lance Havildar Bhonde Chandrasekhar Rupchand will be taken for last rites to their respective native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and remains committed to their dignity and well-being,” the spokesman said.
