Darjeeling (West Bengal): West Bengal has lost another brave soldier. Captain Brijesh Thapa, a resident of Baraging, Lebong, Darjeeling, was martyred in the encounter between the Indian Army and militants in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir.
27-year-old Thapa was martyred in an operation against militants. His death cast a pal of gloom in Darjeeling. Four Armymen, including an officer, were killed in an encounter with heavily armed terrorists in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.
According to the sources of the Indian Army, on Monday night, militants attacked a hilly forest four hours away from Doda in Jammu and Kashmir. Army jawans also retaliated to the attack of the militants. Thapa along with three other soldiers died on the spot in the gunfight between the two sides.
It is understood that Thapa's martyrdom has already been informed to his family by Army officials. Family sources revealed that Thapa's body will be brought to Siliguri's Bagdogra Airport on a special flight on July 17. From there his body will be taken by road to his birthplace in Lebong.
Thapa's father, Colonel (Retired) Bhuvanesh Thapa, said, "Brijesh was very attracted to the Army from a young age. He prepared himself that way. It hurts, but there is no regret. My son died defending the country."
It is learned that Colonel Bhuvnesh Thapa retired from the Army in 2014. He is currently working in X Serviceman Health Service Scheme at Lebong, Darjeeling. Brijesh is survived by his parents and sister Nikita Thapa, who is currently studying music in Australia.
Col (Retd) Bhuvnesh Thapa told news agency ANI that he received the news of his son's demise through a telephone call from the Commanding Officer of his parent unit 145 AD at around 10.30 PM on Monday.
"I could not believe it...then I asked him to recheck saying maybe this (false).. but he confirmed it," added Col (Retd) Bhuvnesh. "We will miss him for the rest of our lives," added an emotional Colonel (Retd) Bhuvnesh Thapa. He also added that the government is taking strong action against militants.
"The only this is that these sorts of incidents keep on happening...there should not be a support base for militants, once that is done, automatically militancy can be controlled. There are a lot of support bases for militants in Jammu and Kashmir," added Colonel (Retd) Bhuvnesh Thapa.
She also left for home after receiving the news of her brother's martyrdom. Brijesh Thapa was born in Lebong and did his primary education in Darjeeling. However, due to his father's posting elsewhere in the Army, Brijesh completed the rest of his studies outside West Bengal. He completed his higher education in Mumbai. After completing his B.Tech from a college in Mumbai, he appeared for the Combined Defence Service (CDS) exam. In 2018, he passed the Short Service Commission (SSC) examination of the defence service and joined the Army in 2019.
Thapa was posted to 10 Rashtriya Rifles for two years. He was then transferred to the Doda Army cantonment in Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Army's Special Wing 145 Army Air Defence for extra regimental duty.
Brijesh Thapa was the A-Company Commander. While going on an expedition with his troops at quite a distance that took about four hours from Doda, they were suddenly attacked. Brijesh lost his life in the attack.
