Siliguri, 02nd July: At least twenty four people were killed and several injured after a massive landslide, triggered by incessant rains, hit the company location of 107 Infantry Battalion TA (11th Gorkha Rifles) of the Indian Army deployed near Tupul in Manipur’s Noney district, on Wednesday night. Around 38 people are reported to be still missing. Many of those killed belonged to the territorial army who guarded a major railway line construction site.
So far, mortal remains of 18 Territorial Army personnel and 06 civilians have been recovered. The bodies of 14 personnel including 1 JCO and 12 other ranks of Territorial Army personnel were sent to respective home stations.
Out of 18 soldiers who were martyred in the incident, 11 were from the Darjeeling Hills and neighbouring plain area. On Saturday, bodies of 11 martyred jawans reach Bengdubi Military Station in Siliguri where senior army officers including political parties’ leaders Anit Thapa, BP Bajgain, Neeraj Zimba, Shankar Ghosh, Anandamoy Barman, Papiya Ghosh paid their last respects. The jawans received Guard of Honour and were taken to their native village.