Northeast Desk, 5th October: The Indian Army is relentlessly continuing its search and rescue operation for the 22 missing soldiers in Sikkim. Troops from the Trishakti Corps have stepped up efforts to provide medical aid and establish telephone connectivity for civilians and tourists stranded in areas like Chungthang, Lachung, and Lachen in North Sikkim.
The focus of the search operation is to locate the 22 missing soldiers, with ongoing efforts to uncover vehicles submerged under slush near Burdang, close to Singtam. The search operation has now expanded to areas downstream of the Teesta River.
Out of the initial 23 missing persons, one individual was miraculously recovered alive on the evening of October 4. Family members of the missing soldiers have been contacted and informed about the situation. Communication disruptions in the region have made it challenging for Indian Army personnel posted in Sikkim and North Bengal to contact their families.
Additionally, a high-level meeting was convened at Mintokgang to assess the current situation and evaluate the extent of damages caused by the incident. The Chief Minister of Sikkim, during the meeting, issued instructions to relevant officials, departments, District Magistrates (DMs), and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to maintain a heightened state of vigilance and provide diligent assistance to affected individuals.
In an effort to ensure accurate and timely information dissemination, the Chief Secretary (CS) will provide daily updates to the press, keeping the public informed about the ongoing efforts and developments regarding the missing soldiers and the situation in the affected areas.