The bodies of two Special Para Commandos of the Indian Army who went missing during a military mock drill at Hathnikund Barrage in Yamunanagar, Haryana, have been recovered following an extensive search operation. The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday evening when a boat carrying five commandos capsized due to strong river currents shortly after they jumped into the barrage waters from a Chinook helicopter. While three soldiers managed to swim to safety immediately after the capsize, two commandos were swept away by the fierce currents. After nearly 45 hours of relentless searching across a wide area, rescue teams retrieved the remains of both missing soldiers from separate locations.
First Commando Recovered from Fishing Net in Uttar Pradesh
Following the accident, a massive search effort was launched involving personnel from the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police teams. On Wednesday late evening, the body of one commando was discovered trapped inside a fishing net deployed in the river near Bartha Korsi village in Uttar Pradesh. Local residents alerted the authorities and assisted in bringing the body to the riverbank. Army personnel quickly secured the site and took custody of the remains. The deceased soldier was subsequently identified as Ajay, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir.
Second Soldier Traced in Jind Canal After 45-Hour Search
Despite the recovery of the first commando, rescue operations continued unabated to locate the remaining missing soldier. On Thursday, approximately 45 hours after the tragedy unfolded, police officers located the second commando's body in the Jind Canal behind the local vegetable market (Sabzi Mandi). Authorities extracted the body from the canal to carry out necessary formal procedures. Official confirmation established that the second deceased soldier was a native of Maharashtra. The loss of both elite commandos has brought immense grief to their families and military comrades.
Deployment from Nahan Army Training School for Tactical Drill
The mishap took place around 5:00 PM on Tuesday during a tactical exercise conducted by Special Para Commandos stationed at the Army Training School in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh. As part of the simulated operation, five commandos executed a water jump from a Chinook helicopter into the Hathnikund Barrage. However, powerful water discharge and turbulent currents overwhelmed their assault craft, causing it to flip over instantly. The joint emergency teams mounted a comprehensive search operation covering a 20-kilometer radius around the barrage before recovering both fallen commandos.
