Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, 18 August, met the ‘Veer Naris’ (wives of martyred soldiers) of the Armed Forces personnel, who lost their lives in a recent landslide at Tupul in Manipur.
The Union Minister felicitated the kin of the deceased military personnel during a felicitation ceremony held at Bengdubi Military Station in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It was organised by Trishakti Corps.
During the ceremony Singh also paid homages to the deceased armed forces personnel in the presence of the next of their kin.
It may be recalled that a total of 30 military personnel including one officer, three Junior Commissioned Officers and 26 Other Ranks – of 107 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) 11 Gorkha Rifles had lost their lives in the tragic landslide that occurred on 30 June, 2022 at the Tupul Railway construction site in Noney district of Manipur.
Of them, 16 were reported to be from the Darjeeling hills, while one was from Jalpaiguri and two from North 24-Parganas. The deceased armed forces personnel were among the 61 people killed during the tragedy.
Addressing the gathering of the deceased’s families and military troops, Singh conveyed that the Nation would always remain indebted to the supreme sacrifices made by the brave soldiers.
He further conveyed that the government is making efforts to ensure financial stability for those ill-fated families and dependents of the heroic soldiers. He added that the government would also ensure full support of Ministry of Defence to the kin of the deceased soldiers.
The Defence Minister went on to extoll the Armed Forces for their significant contribution in completing the Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal Rail Line Project in spite of the challenging working environment.
He stated that the ongoing Tupul Railway Construction project is crucial for realizing the country’s strategic and socio-economic goals.
Interacting with the Veer Naris and soldiers during the ceremony, Singh presented a cheque worth Rs. seven lakh to each of the Veer Naris. He paid glowing tributes to the deceased personnel, commending their bravery and dedication.
During the ceremony, the minister also felicitated another thirteen troops who were injured in the tragedy.
The Veer Naris and the troops expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the efforts made by the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Army to encourage young people to join the Armed Forces.
Darjeeling Member of Parliament Raju Bista, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, GOC, 111 Sub Area Lt Gen Tarun Kumar Aich, and other top Indian Army personnel were present.
