NEW DELHI: In an unfortunate incident, an Indian Army officer lost his life in a fire at the Siachen Glacier on Wednesday. Several others were injured in the incident.
Sources confirmed that the incident occurred at around 0300 hrs in which "Captain Anshuman Singh, Regimental Medical Officer, succumbed to serious burn injuries."
"Three other personnel suffered smoke inhalation and second degree burns," the source added. The injured were safely air evacuated for further treatment.
The three injured Indian Army personnel included a Lieutenant Colonel. In addition, three porters were also injured in the fire incident. The condition of the injured personnel is reported to be stable.
The deployment to the glacier is codenamed Operation Meghdoot and is the longest continuing operation of its kind in the world.
The Indian Army occupied the Siachen Glacier region on April 13, 1984 as it holds military significance for the country and is known as the highest militarised zone in the world where soldiers have to battle frostbite and high winds. India has been insisting that Pakistan accept the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) as the line which separates the current positions of Indian Army and Pakistan Army. It is 110 km long and extends from NJ 9842 to Indira Col in the north.
More men have lost lives due to inhospitable climate and difficult terrain than due to enemy fire. As per reports, more than 800 personnel have lost their lives in the last 39 years while operating under Operation Meghdoot.
It took time for the Indian Army to develop logistics lines and make administrative arrangements for its troops to ameliorate the conditions. Keeping in view the harsh conditions, the soldiers are deployed for a period of three months at a stretch.
The region is strategically important as it juts between the Saltoro Ridge and the Karakoram Ranges. The Saltoro Ridge overlooks the area of Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) that is under dispute with Pakistan. The glacier is also close to the Karakoram Pass through which the Karakoram Highway passes connecting Gilgit-Baltistan to the Xinjiang province of China. The glacier region is also in proximity to the Shaksgam Valley, which was ceded to China by Pakistan.