New Delhi: Three people, including two jawans, were killed and six others went missing after a massive landslide triggered by intense rainfall struck an Indian Army camp in Sikkim’s Lachen district on Sunday evening.
A Lieutenant Colonel, his wife and their daughter are among the six missing after the calamity struck around 7:00 p.m. near the Brigade Headquarters at Chaten in north Sikkim following a bout of relentless rains in the region.
Officials in the Army said that rescue operations were launched promptly despite challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions, adding that teams rescued four individuals who sustained minor injuries.
The bodies of three others—Lance Naik Munish Thakur, Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, and civilian porter Abhishek Lakhada—were recovered from the debris.
Six individuals, including Lt. Col. Pritpal Sandhu (GSO-I), his wife Squadron Leader Arati B Sandhu (retd.) and their daughter Amaira, remain unaccounted for. Also missing are subedar Dharamveer, and sepoys Sainudheen P.K., and Sunilal Muchahary.
Landslide at Chaten, North Sikkim
A massive landslide, triggered by heavy rains struck an Army camp at approx 7 PM on 01 June.
Four personnel with minor injuries have been rescued. Mortal remains of Hav Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur & Porter Abhishek Lakhada… pic.twitter.com/7y6FkHWVDf
— Trishakticorps_IA (@trishakticorps) June 2, 2025
The Army confirmed that the six individuals were currently missing, but stressed that no official confirmation has been made regarding their status.
“Rescue teams are relentlessly working around the clock under extremely challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions to locate and rescue the six personnel who remain missing,” it said in a statement.
Eyewitness accounts and local reports suggest the landslide struck suddenly, catching residents of the military camp off-guard. Most of them were indoors when they heard a loud noise followed by tremors, as the ground beneath them gave way.
The full extent of the devastation became apparent only after daylight on Monday. Photographs later released by the Army show the mountain slope—where the camp once stood—was completely ravaged.
At least 34 people were killed in the past three days in heavy rainfall-induced floods and landslides across several states, including Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, according to media reports.
Assam remains one of the worst affected, with all seven of its major rivers breaching danger levels. Authorities have issued warnings of further flooding as rainfall continues to lash the region.
(Edited by Tony Rai)