Rohtak, August 20

Six of the nine Army personnel who died on duty after their vehicle plunged into a gorge in Ladakh on Saturday night belonged to the region. While three of them hailed from Haryana, two were from Punjab and another from Himachal Pradesh.

Gunner Ankit, 24, from Gaddi Kheri village of Rohtak was the sole breadwinner of his family, which includes his mother, wife and younger brother. He joined the Army in 2018 after Class XII.

Gunner Manmohan Singh of Hathin village in Palwal joined the Army in 2016 to fulfil his father’s dream.

He completed his graduation while in service. Manmohan has left behind three elder sisters, parents and a one-year-old son. Naik Tejpal Singh, another deceased, belonged to Ujina Sangel village of Nuh. He was inducted into the Army in 2013. He has two sons aged six and three.

Critically injured jawan Anuj Kumar, who hails from Dhigana (Jind), joined the Army in 2021. “His father Bijender was also an Army man and died on duty about 10 years ago,” said Anuj’s uncle Rajbir.

Two from Punjab are Gunner Tarandeep Singh, 23, from Kamali village in Bassi Pathana subdivision of Fatehgarh Sahib, and Naib Subedar Ramesh Lal, 39, of Sarsiri village in Faridkot district. Havildar Vijay Kumar, another deceased, hailed from Nehra village of Shimla Rural in Himachal Pradesh.

Critically injured belongs to Jind

A critically injured soldier, Anuj Kumar, hails from Dhigana village of Jind district. He joined the Army in 2021. “Anuj’s father Bijender was also an Army man and died on duty about 10 years ago,” said Anuj’s uncle Rajbir.