HP avalanche: Rifleman cremated with full military honours

Rifleman Rajesh Rishi, who was among the six jawans who had gone missing after an avalanche, was cremated with full military honours in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district Sunday, officials said.

Rishi (25) and five other jawans of the 7 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles were buried under the avalanche at Shipki La near the India-China border in Himachal Pradesh's tribal Kinnaur district on February 20.

The body of another jawan, Havaldar Rakesh Kumar, was recovered on the day of the avalanche. A search operation to locate the four other trapped soldiers is underway.

Rishi's body was recovered on Saturday and then sent to his native village, Jagatpur, in Nalagarh sub division of Solan district, Kinnaur Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma said.

Thousands including local MLA Lakhwinder Singh Rana, Nalagarh SDM Prashant Deshta and Baddi SP Rohit Malpani turned out for his cremation.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur talked to Rishi's family members over the phone and expressed his deep condolences, an official spokesperson said.

He prayed to the Almighty for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the irreparable loss.

The CM assured the family members of all possible help from the state government, the spokesperson said.

While search and rescue operation was carried out immediately, bad weather posed a big challenge to search party including Army, BRO, ITBP, Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) and DRDO personnel, he quoted the CM as saying.