Escalation by China brings agony to family of 26-yr-old martyr in Bengal

A 25-year old soldier from West Bengal was killed in a skirmish with China's PLA. The biggest military confrontation of over five-decade has estranged the sole breadwinner's family to the point of demanding vengeance.

Kolkata: A young soldier from Birbhum district of West Bengal was among 20 jawans killed in violent face-off with the Chinese troops, a source said on Wednesday.

Rajesh Orang, 26, belonged to the Bihar regiment of the Indian Army. Only son of Subhas Orang, a tribal marginal farmer at Belgaria village in Bhutura gram panchayat of Birbhum’s Mohammedbazar.

Rajesh, elder to two sisters, had joined the Army in 2015 after passing the higher secondary examination and belonged to the Bihar Regiment. "I want the government of India to take revenge of my brother's death. Yesterday we got a call from an army personnel who informed that my brother was killed in violent face-off with the Chinese troops. We were so shocked to hear the news of his demise that we couldn't even ask any further details. He was the sole earning member of our family," Rajesh's younger sister added.

Rajesh was among the 20 Indian Army personnel killed in the fierce clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region, an officer said.

"My son served the country and gave his life for it," was all the soldier's father could say on Wednesday morning as he grieved his son's death. Rajesh's mother Mamata was speechless. She was hoping to get him married when he came back on a holiday next.

The violent clash broke out on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh.

Inputs from PTI