Malayali soldier's mortal remains among those recovered 56 years after IAF plane crash in Rohtang Pass

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Oct 1, 2024, 9:53 AM IST

Thomas Cheriyan, a Malayali soldier who tragically died in a 1968 plane crash, was on his way to his posting when the accident occurred. The AN-12 aircraft of the Indian Air Force went down over the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh.

The mortal remains of Malayali soldier Thomas Cheriyan were recovered on Monday, 56 years after his tragic death in a plane crash. Cheriyan, a native of Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta, was just 22 years old when the AN-12 aircraft of the Indian Air Force went down over the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh. The twin-engine turboprop transport plane, carrying 102 people, had disappeared on February 7, 1968, during a flight from Chandigarh to Leh.

Indian Army recovers 4 bodies of 1968 plane crash victims near Rohtang Pass

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Along with Cheriyan's remains, those of three others were recovered on Monday in a joint operation conducted by the Dogra Scouts of the Indian Army and Tiranga Mountain Rescue. The Indian Army officially informed the Aranmula police, who then notified Cheriyan’s family. After completing the required formalities, the remains will be returned to his family, and a funeral will be held to pay tribute to his memory.

Thomas Cheriyan was on his way to his posting after completing training when the accident occurred, according to his relative, Shaiju, who spoke to Asianet News. He also mentioned that the army had informed them about the ongoing search five years ago. It was only recently that they received news from the army about the discovery of body parts. In 2019, five bodies were recovered, and now, the remains of four more people, including Thomas Cheriyan, have been found. One of these individuals has yet to be identified.

Mayank Chaudhary, the Superintendent of Police for the Lahaul-Spiti district, confirmed the discovery on Monday evening through a satellite phone call from the Army expedition team. This team was conducting a mountaineering expedition in the remote and rugged area of CB-13 (Chandrabhaga-13 Peak), located near Batal in Lahaul-Spiti. The recovery marks a significant milestone in one of India’s longest-running search operations.

Three of the identified bodies belong to Malkhan Singh, Sepoy Narayan Singh, and Craftsman Thomas Charan. The identity of the fourth individual has not been conclusively established, although documents found with the body contained details of their relatives.

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