Special Frontier Force (SFF) soldier Nyima Tenzin, killed in a 1962-vintage landmine blast at Chushul in Eastern Ladakh, had been patrolling the areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past one month, one of the members of the Tibetan community said.
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Tenzin (58), who is survived by wife and three children, was born in India. The family lives at a Tibetan settlement camp in Sonamling, one of the largest camps in Ladakh. Located a few kilometres from administrative capital Leh, it is home to more than 5,000 people.
After the Dalai Lama’s flight to India from Tibet in 1959, India gave assistance to Tibetans for a temporary settlement.
The Company Leader was killed in the intervening night of August 29-30 when he accidentally stepped on a 1962 war landmine. He had completed 30 years in service.
Funeral held on Monday
Tseten Wangchuk, chief representative officer, Sonamling Tibetan Settlement, Leh said Tenzin’s funeral was held on Monday, six days after the death, as per the community’s tradition.
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“The body was kept at his house for the past few days and the funeral was organised as per his horoscope on Monday. He was determined to defend the territory,” Mr. Wangchuk said.
BJP leader Ram Madhav and Ladakh Member of Parliament Jamyang Tsering Namgyal also attended the funeral ceremony held at Choglamsar, around 5 km from Leh.
Mr. Wangchuk said, “The Chinese side is very aggressive. They are trying to intrude into the Indian territory. The Indian Army had to defend and he was one of the soldiers who defended. He was posted in the area [Chushul] one month ago”. The unit would be deployed there till the situation improved.
‘Peace-loving people’
“We are grateful that he was given full respect and honour by high-ranking officials who joined the funeral. Chinese are raising tensions at the border day by day. The Communist party of China loves weapons but Tibetans are peace-loving people,” he said, adding that the event was organised by the Army and an NGO.
Mr. Wangchuk claimed Mr. Madhav and Mr. Namgyal volunteered to attend the ceremony.
In 2015, the Modi government came out with a new policy for the Tibetan refugees and sanctioned a scheme of providing a grant-in-aid of ₹40 crore to the Dalai Lama’s Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC) for five years.
