Daijiworld Media Network - Gangtok

Gangtok, Dec 23: A tragic accident claimed the life of an Army jawan on Monday when a raft capsized in the Teesta river during a training exercise in Sikkim’s Pakyong district, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place during an annual rafting training programme for soldiers when the raft collided with a damaged structure of an iron bridge, causing it to overturn. The bridge had been partially destroyed during the 2023 floods.

Lance Naik Rajasekhar of the 191 Artillery Regiment, who was swept away by the swift current, lost his life in the mishap. An immediate rescue operation was launched by the Army in coordination with the Teesta Rescue Centre.

The body was later recovered downstream at Tar Khola in Kalimpong district of West Bengal and sent for post-mortem examination. The rafting exercise had been taking place between Bardang and Rangpo Mining areas at the time of the accident.