Army Major Nisheet Dogra dies in avalanche in north Sikkim

An Indian Army Major, identified as Nisheet Dogra, has lost his life in a snow blizzard in North Sikkim while he was going for deployment in a tank regiment on Saturday. According to sources, Nisheet Dogra, who was commanding an independent tank squadron, was hit by an avalanche on Tibetan plateau, North Sikkim. He has gone missing after a heavy snowfall. His body was found dead under five-six under the snow. 

Army officer Major Nisheet Dogra lost his life in a snow blizzard in North Sikkim while going for deployment in a tank regiment yesterday.

— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2019

According to the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, the state receives heavy snowfall in the higher altitude regions, all throughout the year, especially during the winter months from January to March. The snow line ranges from 20,000 feet in the north to 16,000 feet in the south and the region has reported frequent avalanche incidents. Most of the times the victims have been army personals patrolling the high posts, mountain climbers and tourists. Many of these regions are remote and lack proper communication channels which further aggravate the situation.

The incident came as the Jammu and Kashmir government announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the 13 people, who lost their lives in the recent incidents of avalanche and shooting stones. Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased. Eight people, including six police and fire, emergency personnel, were killed and three policemen were injured when an avalanche struck the north portal of Jawahar Tunnel in Qazigund area of Kulgam district on Thursday.

In another incident on the same day, a couple died when an avalanche struck their home at Sund Brari in Kokernag area of Anantnag district. In a similar incident, a youth was killed at Chairhaar in Baramulla district on Friday. In an incident of shooting of stones and landslide, two persons died and two others were injured in Ramban district along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Friday.