India recently organised ‘Exercise Shatrujeet’ to provide its forces with war-like situations and to keep them in high-state of battle readiness. Least they have guessed that within this highly planned and controlled environment, this simulation could prove fatal and like the real-war scenario could cause casualties of our soldiers.
Three soldiers of Indian Army have lost their lives during the high-profile military exercise in the deserts of Rajasthan. Although the numbers are not clear yet, Army sources have confirmed the deaths of the three jawans during the two-month long exercise, which concluded on 23rd April in presence of Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Aimed at sharpening Army’s deep strike capabilities in enemy territory, the exercise saw the participation of over 30,000 soldiers.
The deaths have been attributed to excessive heat of the deserts and other injuries during the exercise. These include injuries from snake bites and injuries suffered while they were para-dropped from the helicopters while in a night mission behind simulated enemy lines.
During the exercise, synergy between Army and Air Force in executing air-land battle and the ability to orchestrate battle in network centric environment were successfully validated.
General Dalbir Singh, who witnessed the exercise on April 22nd and 23rd, reportedly expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the exercise, declaring it as successful.
The exercise was being conducted as a part of regular training to hone war fighting skills of the Strike Corps that demanded the lives of three of our soldiers.
