Army jawan killed in Himachal Pradesh avalanche cremated; five others still missing

Shimla: The last rites of Army jawan Rakesh Kumar, who was killed in an avalanche near Shipki La Wednesday, was performed in his native village in Himachal Pradesh on Friday even as five others trapped in the snow are still untraceable, officials said.

Six jawans of the Army's 7 JAK Rifles -- four from Himachal Pradesh and one each from Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir -- were buried under the avalanche that occurred near the Shipki La border outpost in Kinnaur district around 11 AM on Wednesday. Kumar's body was recovered on the same day.

The search operation could not carried out on Thursday due to bad weather. Meanwhile, a fresh avalanche of about 120 metres in length and 20 metres in height hit the Tinku Nullah area in Kinnaur district on Friday, district public relations officer Mamta Negi said, adding that no loss of life or property was reported.

Kumar's mortal remains were consigned to flames in Bilaspur district by his son, Manish, officials said. Thousands of people, including from neighbouring areas, paid their last respects to Kumar at the Ghumarpur village crematorium.

Kumar's body was airlifted from Pooh in Kinnaur district to Bilaspur at 12.10 pm, Negi said.

A ceremony in the honour of the jawan was held in Kinnaur, where Army, civil and police officers paid their last respects to him, she said.

Over 200 personnel of the Army, General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), police and the home guard have been deployed in the search operation, Negi said.