Indian soldier with UN peacekeeping mission killed in Congo

The incident took place a few days ago and the body of the soldier, who hailed from Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, has been handed over to his relatives, sources told PTI here.

He was part of mix troops of 1 Guards (Mechanised Infantry) and 7 Dogra battalion deployed there and were out on a patrolling mission when the incident took place, sources said.

He died while he was trying to retrieve a Russian-origin BMP Infantry Combat Vehicle stuck in a river.

Indian troops are deployed in the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo which as been trouble-ridden for several decades now and has seen mass-level ethnic clashes.

Six Indian soldiers were injured in a firing incident two days ago when they were patrolling. One soldier was critically injured in the ambush laid by unknown persons.

The critically injured personnel was admitted to the hospital in Goma and is now out of danger after getting operated there, they said.

India is the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo and has more than a brigade-size (3,500 troops) deployed there in several locations there.

Indian troops are performing peacekeeping duties in several countries in Africa and are also deployed in West Asia in this role.