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Army denies Uttarakhand jawan succumbed to injuries in Galwan clash, says he died of cancer,
Singh’s last remains, draped in tricolour, was brought to his home by the army personnel on Sunday afternoon. His family members paid their last tributes to him after which he was cremated with full military honours at town’s Ranibag crematorium.
A day after 42-year-old army jawan was cremated by his family in his hometown in Nainital, Indian Army authorities on Monday denied that he succumbed to injuries suffered in Galwan Valley clash but died of colon cancer for which he was undergoing treatment at command hospital in Chandimandir.
On Sunday, the jawan identified as Havildar Bishan Singh, a native of Haldwani, was cremated by his family members. They claimed that he died during treatment after suffering injuries during the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese troops in June this year.
The denial was given by the Army in a statement issued by it stating, “Reports in a section of media on the death of Hav Bishan Singh of 17 KUMAON attributing it to Galwan are not true.”
“The individual was a case of Colon Cancer admitted to GH Leh on 29 June. He was later shifted to CH Chandimandir on 03 July and passed away at 1:30 AM on 15 August 20.”
Clarifying the development, Singh’s younger brother Jagat Singh, who retired from Indian Army as Naik in 2014, said, “He had suffered internal injuries in Pangong Lake clash on May 5 and not in the Galwan Valley”
“His son while speaking to media persons on Sunday got confused between the two and mentioned Galwan instead of Pangong Lake where he was posted with his unit 17 Kumaon,” said Jagat.
Jagat Singh however, insisted that his deceased brother didn’t inform them about the colon cancer earlier and was perfectly fine. “I only got to know from the doctor on August 11 when I went to visit him at the army command hospital in Chandimandir where he was undergoing treatment and later succumbed.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of the story went by the family’s claims and said the soldier died due to his injuries. The error is regretted.
