NEW DELHI: In the rugged, mist-shrouded mountains of Sikkim, where the air is thin and the rivers roar with untamed fury, a young lieutenant from Ayodhya wrote a story of courage that would echo far beyond the peaks.
On Thursday morning, the 23-year-old Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari was leading a route-clearing team from the 1st Battalion Sikkim Scouts. Their essential task was to ensure safe passage from Bichhu to Chu Junction (Sikkim) for the following troops.
"At around 9 am, the team set out, their boots crunching against the rocky terrain. The path hugged a fast-flowing stream, its waters churning with icy menace. By 11 am, as they crossed a precarious log bridge, disaster struck. AV Stephan Subba, a soldier under Shashank's command, lost his footing," said an official source of the Indian army.
"The stream seized Subba, its current dragging him toward certain death. There was no time for hesitation. Shashank leaped into the raging waters, he reached Stephan, pulling him toward safety. Naik Pukar Katel, another comrade, dove in to help. Together, they wrestled Stephan from the stream's grasp, leaving him battered but alive on the bank, his leg injured but his life spared," said the source.
Shashank, who completed his training at the National Defence Academy and was commissioned on December 14, 2024, was his parents' only child from Ayodhya.
"Shashank, exhausted from the rescue, could not break free. The current claimed him, sweeping him 800 meters downstream as his team watched, helpless, their desperate efforts to save him falling short. By 11.30 am, they found his body, still and silent, a hero lost to the waters he braved," added the source.
His village Majhwan Gaddopur in Ayodhya Cantt police jurisdiction prepares to receive their brave son, expected to arrive by Friday evening.
The final rites will be conducted with full state honours at Jamthara Ghat on Saturday.
AV Stephan Subba is recovering from leg injuries at MAP Lachung, while Nk Pukar Katel is receiving treatment at 158 Base Hospital. Both servicemen survive because of Shashank's sacrifice.
Lt Gen RC Tiwari, the army commander of Eastern Command, expressed his deepest condolences on the demise of Lt Shashank Tiwari.
While the Surya Command recognised Shashank's extraordinary courage, praising him as an exemplary officer who prioritised others' lives. "Embodying the Chetwood motto etched into every officer's soul—The safety, honour, and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare, and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort, and safety come last, always and every time," read a statement from Surya Command.
On Thursday morning, the 23-year-old Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari was leading a route-clearing team from the 1st Battalion Sikkim Scouts. Their essential task was to ensure safe passage from Bichhu to Chu Junction (Sikkim) for the following troops.
"At around 9 am, the team set out, their boots crunching against the rocky terrain. The path hugged a fast-flowing stream, its waters churning with icy menace. By 11 am, as they crossed a precarious log bridge, disaster struck. AV Stephan Subba, a soldier under Shashank's command, lost his footing," said an official source of the Indian army.
"The stream seized Subba, its current dragging him toward certain death. There was no time for hesitation. Shashank leaped into the raging waters, he reached Stephan, pulling him toward safety. Naik Pukar Katel, another comrade, dove in to help. Together, they wrestled Stephan from the stream's grasp, leaving him battered but alive on the bank, his leg injured but his life spared," said the source.
Shashank, who completed his training at the National Defence Academy and was commissioned on December 14, 2024, was his parents' only child from Ayodhya.
"Shashank, exhausted from the rescue, could not break free. The current claimed him, sweeping him 800 meters downstream as his team watched, helpless, their desperate efforts to save him falling short. By 11.30 am, they found his body, still and silent, a hero lost to the waters he braved," added the source.
His village Majhwan Gaddopur in Ayodhya Cantt police jurisdiction prepares to receive their brave son, expected to arrive by Friday evening.
The final rites will be conducted with full state honours at Jamthara Ghat on Saturday.
AV Stephan Subba is recovering from leg injuries at MAP Lachung, while Nk Pukar Katel is receiving treatment at 158 Base Hospital. Both servicemen survive because of Shashank's sacrifice.
Lt Gen RC Tiwari, the army commander of Eastern Command, expressed his deepest condolences on the demise of Lt Shashank Tiwari.
While the Surya Command recognised Shashank's extraordinary courage, praising him as an exemplary officer who prioritised others' lives. "Embodying the Chetwood motto etched into every officer's soul—The safety, honour, and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare, and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort, and safety come last, always and every time," read a statement from Surya Command.
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