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PHOTOS: India bids tearful adieu to Ladakh martyrs

Last updated on: June 19, 2020 00:03 IST

Amid chanting of patriotic slogans, people from different walks of life bid an emotional farewell to the bravehearts who were killed in a violent clash with the Chinese troops in Ladakh.

Defying the COVID-19 social distancing norms, huge crowds gathered to pay respects to the soldiers amid emotional moments.

On Monday night, 20 Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.

The clash in Galwan Valley on Monday night is the biggest confrontation between the two militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La when India lost around 80 soldiers while over 300 Chinese army personnel were killed.

 

IMAGE: Family members garland the mortal remains of Colonel Santosh Babu during his last rites in Suryapet, Telangana. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Family members of Colonel Santosh Babu mourn near his mortal remains during his last rites, at his residence in Suryapet. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel handover the Tricolor to family members of Colonel Santosh Babu during his last rites, at his residence in Suryapet. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel perform the last rites of Havildar Palani in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel handover the Tricolor to family members of Havaldar Palani during his last rites. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel carry the mortal remains of martyr Havaldar Sunil Kumar who was killed in the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, during his funeral procession, at Tarapur in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Family members of martyr Havaldar Sunil Kumar mourn. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Ayush Kumar, son of Havildar Sunil Kumar, receives the national flag from an army jawan during his father's cremation in Maner, Bihar. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel pay gun salute to Havildar Sunil Kumar during his last rites in Maner. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Wife Jaswinder Kaur and daughter Sandeep Kaur of Naib Subedar Satnam Singh mourn after he was killed during the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakhs Galwan Valley, at his native village Vhoj raj in Gurdaspur district. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Army personnel carry the mortal remains of Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh, who was among 20 Indian Army soldiers martyred during a clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Family members of martyr Naib Subedar Satnam Singh lay a wreath on his coffin during his last rites, at his native village Vhoj Raj in Gurdaspur district. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pays tribute to Bihar Regimental soldiers who were martyred in the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, during a wreath-laying ceremony, at Jai Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Family members pay their respects to the mortal remains of martyr Subedar Mandeep Singh during his last rites, at Seel village in Patiala. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik pays tribute to Sepoy Chandrakant Pradhan and Naib Subedar Nanduram Soren who were martyred in India-China clash at Ladakh's Galwan Valley, at Bhubaneswar Airport. Photograph: PTI Photo

IMAGE: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren pays tribute to the mortal remains of Hawaldar Ganesh Hansda, who was among 20 soldiers martyred at Birsa Munda International Airport in Ranchi. Photograph: PTI Photo