Indian Army Finds Soldier's Remains 38 Years After He Went Missing

The body of an Indian Army soldier has been found 38 years after he went missing in an avalanche while on patrol in the Siachen Glacier region, known as the world's highest battlefield, officials and local media said Monday.

The remains of Chandrashekhar Harbola will be brought to his native village in Uttarakhand state on Tuesday, Manish Kumar, a senior official in the city of Haldwani in the state, told Anadolu Agency.

Kumar said the deceased was reportedly identified through his badge number.

"The body has been found after 38 years. The identification has been done through the badge number, which has been confirmed by his wife. His mortal remains are arriving here tomorrow," he said.

According to Kumar, in 1984, the patrol was struck by an avalanche in which many army personnel died. Some personnel were missing then, he said.

India's Defense Ministry is yet to issue a statement on the matter.

Local news agency Press Trust of India said the Sainik (Army) Group Centre in Ranikhet on Sunday identified the body as that of Harbola, who belonged to the Indian Army's 19 Kumaon Regiment.

"Harbola was part of a 20-member troop that was dispatched to the world's highest battlefield for 'Operation Meghdoot' to fight Pakistan in 1984," the report said.

The Siachen Glacier region is located in the eastern Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas, huddled next to the borders of Pakistan, India and China.

South Asian neighbors and rivals Pakistan and India both claim sovereignty over the entire Siachen region. Indian and Pakistani troops have fought intermittently in the Siachen Glacier region in northern Kashmir since 1984. A cease-fire took effect in 2003. -