Uttarakhand CM Dhami pays tribute to Narayan Singh, soldier killed in 1968 IAF plane crash
Oct 03, 2024
Dehradun (Uttarakhand), October 3 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday paid his respects to soldier Narayan Singh, one of the four soldiers whose remains were recovered from the wreckage of an AN-12 aircraft that crashed in the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh in 1968.
The aircraft, belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF), was carrying 102 Army personnel on board and was on a routine flight from Chandigarh to Leh when it met with the tragic accident over five decades ago.
Singh's body was brought home to Pauri Garhwal today and Chief Minister Dhami, taking on X, said, "May Narayan Singh remain immortal."
"The name of Narayan Singh Ji, a brave soldier of the Medical Corps of the Indian Army, the immortal son of the military land of Uttarakhand, is an example of valour and courage. In 1968, an Air Force plane crashed at Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, in which Narayan Singh Ji went missing. His body was found after 56 years and the story of his sacrifice once again resonated in our hearts," CM Dhami said on X.
"The supreme sacrifice of Narayan Singh ji, who laid down his life in the service of Maa Bharati, is a source of inspiration for all of us. He served the country till his last breath and dedicated his life for the nation following the great traditions of the Indian Army. Millions of salutes...humble tribute!" CM Dhami added.
The mortal remains of soldiers Malkhan Singh from Saharanpur, Sipahi Narain Singh from Pauri Garhwal, Sipahi Munshi Ram from Rewari, Haryana, and Thomas Cherian from Kerala were found on Monday.
The discovery is part of a long, painstaking effort to recover the remains of those who perished in the 1968 crash, one of the most tragic accidents in Indian military aviation history.
The aircraft, which took off from Chandigarh, was en route to Leh when it encountered severe weather conditions and crashed into the mountainous terrain of the Lahaul valley. Despite repeated search operations over the years, many of the bodies and debris had remained lost in the high-altitude, snow-covered region.
