China Clashes: 16 Bihar Regt CO Santosh Babu Among Those Killed

While the casualties on the Chinese side are yet unknown, one of the personnel killed was a Commanding Officer.

Colonel Santosh Babu and Havildar Palani were among the three Indian Army personnel killed in a clash with Chinese PLA on Monday, 15 June.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

The Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar regiment was among the 20 soldiers of the Indian Army who were killed in a "violent face-off" with China at the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh on the night of Monday, 15 June.

A father of two, Colonel Santosh Babu was awaiting a posting in Hyderabad. His wife Santoshi, along with their children, aged 9 and 4, lives in Delhi.

Hailing from Telangana's Suryapet district, Babu did his schooling from Sainik School, Korukonda after Class 5. His first posting was in Jammu and Kashmir.

“I am both sad and happy. I am happy that my son sacrificed his life for the country, but as a mother, I grieve his loss. He is my only son.”

Santosh’s mother Manjula, as quoted by <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/my-only-son-sacrificed-his-life-country-mother-army-officer-killed-lac-126684">The News Minute</a>

Babu is survived by his wife Santoshi and two children, aged 9 and 4 years, who live in Delhi.(Photo: The Quint)

Another jawan killed during the border clashes has been identified as Palani, a havildar from Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu, according to a report in The News Minute.

Forty-year-old Palani belonged to Kadukkalar village in Ramanathapuram district. According to TNM, he is survived by his wife Vanathi Devi and two children. Palani's brother Idhayakkani, who also works for the army, was the one who informed the family about the death.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami took to Twitter to condole Palani’s death.

“I am deeply grieved by the news that Palani, a soldier from Kadukaalur village in Ramanathapuram district, has died as part of the forces protecting the Ladakh border against the Chinese Army. I express my deepest condolences to the family of Palani who has been martyred [sic],” the CM said.

The state government later also announced a solatium of Rs 20 lakh for his family and assured a government job for one of his family members.

The third personnel has been identified as Sepoy Ojha from Jharkhand, according to NDTV.

The face-off on Monday came after after more than a month of tensions between India and China along the LAC. Various meetings, both at the military and the diplomatic levels, have been held to de-escalate the situation in Ladakh.

(With inputs from ANI, NDTV and The News Minute.)