Video: Sepoy cremated 48 years after death

The mortal remains of Sepoy Karam Chand, who died while fighting Chinese aggressors in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962, were consigned to flames with full military honours in his native village near Palampur on Thursday morning.

Touching scenes were witnessed at the cremation ground as his family members had assumed that Chand had been made a Prisoner of War.

The martyr's body was spotted under the debris by a detachment of the Border Roads Organisation in Walong area on July 1 and his identity tag and papers were found along with the weapon, which were intact.

Commanding Officer of 4 Dogras Colonel S K Singh contacted Chand's family in Agojar, about 14 km from Palampur, and his nephew Jaswant Singh received the body and performed the last rites in the native village. Chand and many other soldiers went missing after the Battle of Walong in Arunachal Pradesh's Lohit district during the Sino-India war.

Chinese troops had attacked the post at Walong on October 25, 1962, but the Indian troops fought them for 22 days despite meagre resources. Hundreds of people including a large number of ex- servicemen who were part of 4 Dogras, which fought the Chinese army in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962, paid their homage to the departed soul.

After the customary rituals, Chanda's mortal remains draped with the national flag were taken to the village cremation grounds where senior army officers including Lieutenant General Jasbir Singh Chief of Staff, Northen Command, was also present.

Jaswant Singh, nephew of the deceased, lit the pyre as Chand was a bachelor and his parents have died. Jaswant said it was a matter of great satisfaction that he was able to perform the last rites of his uncle. But he added that has the body been traced earlier, his parents, who were always inquiring about him, would have received some solace.