HP avalanche: Another soldier's body recovered, three still missing

The body of one Army jawan, who was among the five soldiers missing for the past 13 days after an avalanche in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, was recovered on Monday, an official said.

Rifleman Govind Bahadur Chhetri and five other jawans of the 7 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles were buried under the avalanche at Shipki La near the Sino-India border on February 20.

Chhetri's body was recovered on Monday evening, Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand said.

His body was taken to Pooh from where it would be sent to his native place at Binnaguri in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, he added.

Earlier, bodies of two jawans were recovered whereas three were still missing.

Havaldar Rakesh Kumar's body was recovered on the day of the avalanche, whereas the body of Rifleman Rajesh Rishi was recovered on March 2.

About 500 personnel are carrying out the operation to rescue the three other soldiers.

Lt Gen P M Bali, Chief of Staff, Headquarters Western Command said that he was closely monitoring the rescue operations.

He said he visited the site a few days ago and assured that all efforts were underway to find the missing soldiers.