Tragic Turn: Soldier's Life Lost in Teesta River

An army jawan died when a raft capsized during a training exercise on the Teesta River in Sikkim. The incident occurred after the raft hit a bridge's remnants from the 2023 floods. Efforts by the Army and Teesta Rescue Centre led to the recovery of the body in West Bengal.

An Army jawan lost his life in a tragic rafting accident on the Teesta River in Sikkim's Pakyong district, police confirmed on Tuesday.

The incident unfolded on Monday during an annual rafting training, when a raft collided with debris from a bridge damaged in the 2023 floods, causing it to capsize. The jawan, identified as Lance Naik Rajasekhar from the 191 Artillery Regiment, was swept downstream.

In a swift response, the Army, in collaboration with a team from the Teesta Rescue Centre, launched a search operation. The jawan's body was eventually found at Tar Khola in West Bengal's Kalimpong district and has been sent for post-mortem examination.

(With inputs from agencies.)