Bodies of three soldiers killed last year retrieved from Siachen

An Army spokesman said today that the bodies of soldiers from 3rd battalion of the Rajput Regiment had remained buried under snow for almost a year. Major General S.V. Thapliyal, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Trishul division, said the bodies would be flown today to Chandigarh, from where they would be sent to their respective families.

The two soldiers taken prisoners were returned to India after diplomatic intervention because India’s stand was that since the soldiers had strayed across the LoC, they ought to be returned by the nearest exchange post. But the Pakistan army maintained that the soldiers were caught after a gun battle and had attacked a Pakistani post and therefore, would be returned only through international diplomatic channels.