New Delhi: Early on Saturday morning, during a river-crossing exercise along the Line of Actual Control in the Daulat Beg Oldi district of Leh, five Indian Army personnel lost their lives in a mishap, according to authorities.
A Junior Commissioned Officer, or JCO, was one of the five people that perished in the incident.

About three in the morning, the troops were engaged in a normal drill. Official sources reported that the water levels abruptly rose while they were crossing the Bodhi River on their T-72 tank near Mandir Morh, which is 148 kilometers from Leh. They further mentioned that the soldiers and the tank were soon in the rising river.

All five bodies were recovered after an instant rescue operation was initiated.

Leading the country in grief over the fatalities was Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. “Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army he exemplary service of our gallant soldiers to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firm with them during this hour of grief,” he posted on X.