Indian soldier's mortal remains recovered at Siachen after 21 years

Twenty-one years after Havaldar Thukaram Vithoba Patil of the 4 Maratha Light Infantry fell into a crevasse while patrolling the world's highest battleground--Siachen, his mortal remains were recovered by a group of soldiers this week.

Patil, who belonged to Maharashtra, had fallen into a crevasse on February 27, 1993 while he was on an operational patrol in the Northern Glacier. The body had remained untraceable despite numerous attempts to recover it.

Because of the sub-zero temperatures, the body had not decomposed, said sources, adding that he was identified by a letter from his family and a medical certificate found in his pocket.

Tragically, his younger brother, also a soldier with the Maratha Light Infantry, died in an avalanche in 1987 in the Central Glacier. The body remains untraced.

Patil's mortal remains were recovered on October 12 by a patrol team of the 12 Madras Regiment.