The locals call the River Shyok “the River of Death” because its dangerous currents can be deadly. On a dark night on 15 June 2020, its name held true as dozens of men were swallowed into its icy waters during a skirmish at Patrol Point 14 (PP 14), which is close to the confluence of the rivers, Shyok and Galwan.
Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu was in charge of the 16th Bihar Infantry Battalion (or the 16 Bihar) in June 2020. The battalion was stationed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh as part of the “Operation Snow Leopard” mission. Babu’s task was to ensure that the Chinese did not cross PP 14 in the Galwan Valley. After the high-level talks that had taken place on 6 June between the two countries, the disengagement process at PP 14 had begun. The Chinese troops had dismantled their camp and withdrawn from their position.
However, on 14 June 2020, the Chinese troops returned. There was frenetic activity in the area as they erected tents and an observation post along the LAC on the Indian side. Soon, more troops joined them. This contravened the agreement that had been brokered on 6 June.
On the night of 15 June, the 16 Bihar took up the matter with the Chinese forces. It asked the intruders to respect the LAC and return to their base, but the request fell on deaf ears. The Chinese troops refused to fall back.
Realising that the Chinese troops would not heed the Indian troops, Santosh Babu decided to intercede and personally discuss the matter with the Chinese troops. He, along with approximately thirty soldiers from his battalion, marched to PP 14. When Colonel Babu and his troops arrived at the location, they noticed that the soldiers present there were not the Chinese forces that had been stationed there before. Having spent some time in the area, the Indian soldiers had become familiar with the faces of their Chinese counterparts. It was a surprise for Colonel Babu to see these new soldiers arrive so suddenly, replacing familiar faces.
Colonel Babu asked the Chinese soldiers why they had reerected the post when the two countries had agreed to remove their tents after the 6 June meeting. The Chinese soldiers responded to his words with open hostility.
One of the Chinese soldiers rushed at Santosh Babu, screaming profanities, and rudely pushed the colonel. The colonel lost his balance momentarily, but his soldiers were swift to retaliate. They would not stand back and allow the Chinese troops to attack their commanding officer. Enraged, they attacked the Chinese troops. Soon, the small scuffle gave way to proper physical combat. This lasted for some time, with several Indian and Chinese soldiers being injured. The unstoppable 16 Bihar troops then destroyed and burned down the Chinese observation post.
Injured and outnumbered, the Chinese troops retreated from the area, and the Indian troops heaved a sigh of relief.
The sun had set, and the temperatures plummeted. Colonel Babu was restless. He sensed that the Chinese would return, and he was right. The Chinese troops returned and came with reinforcements. That night, under the cover of darkness, a group of about 300 Chinese soldiers arrived at PP 14. This time they were armed with iron rods, clubs, stones, and sticks wrapped with barbed wire. They were determined to take revenge.
After some time, they began to throw large stones at the 16 Bihar troops. Immediately, a vicious fight broke out between the two sides. The Chinese, armed with metal-spiked and barbed wire-wrapped clubs, struck blindly at the Indian soldiers. Troops on both sides were soon engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat, scrabbling on steep ridges at a height of 14,000 feet.
At 9 pm, Colonel Babu, who was leading the Indian troops, was struck on the head by a large stone and began to bleed copiously. He fell into the freezing, fast-flowing waters of the River Galwan. Seeing their commanding officer fall, the Indian soldiers responded with fury. They charged at the Chinese like a tornado and began to wreak havoc on the enemy troops.
Despite being outnumbered, the 16 Bihar soldiers fought valiantly on the steep slopes of the Galwan Valley. The fight went on until midnight. Many Indian and Chinese soldiers slipped and fell into the freezing waters. Several bodies would be recovered on the following day.
India lost as many as twenty brave soldiers, including Colonel Babu. Some of them died due to their injuries, but many of them died of hypothermia after falling into the freezing river. China did not disclose the casualties it had incurred, but it is estimated that approximately thirty to forty of its troops died in the scuffle that night. Indian reinforcements arrived the following morning, and both sides retreated.
Colonel Santosh Babu’s body was recovered and flown home on 17 June, and he was cremated with full military honours on the very next day.
Santosh Babu was born on 13 February 1983 in the Suryapet district of Telangana. He completed his primary schooling at Sri Saraswathi Sishumandir School, and then joined the Sainik School in Korukonda. He was an excellent student and good at outdoor games.
After graduating from the Sainik School, Santosh Babu, who was keen on joining the Army, cleared the tests and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in December 2000. Thereafter, he went to the Indian Military Academy for further training. On 10 December 2004, he was commissioned into the 16th Battalion of the Bihar Regiment as a lieutenant. The 16 Bihar is renowned for its bravery.
Santosh Babu’s first posting took him to Jammu, where he lived up to the high standards of his regiment. He performed exceedingly well in his roles as the Ghatak Platoon Commander, the Anti-Tank Platoon Commander, and the Rifle Company Commander. He was an excellent officer and held several important appointments. He held tenure as an instructor at the NDA and also served in the Indian Contingent as a part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Congo during the Kivu Conflict.
On 2 December 2019, Santosh Babu assumed command of the 16 Bihar Regiment. Having taken part in several counterinsurgency and counter-infiltration operations, the soft-spoken and calm officer was well-versed in several kinds and techniques of warfare.
An exceptional leader, Colonel Santosh Babu always led by example. He laid down his life for the sake of the nation. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second-highest gallantry award, on 26 Jan 2021.
A statue of the valiant colonel stands tall in the town of Suryapet, where he was born. The Indian Army built a memorial called “Gallants of Galwan” at Post 120 in eastern Ladakh in honour of the twenty brave soldiers who died during the skirmish at Galwan Valley.
Excerpted with permission from Men of Steel: Bravehearts of the Indian Military, Tanushree Podder, Penguin India.
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