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Home Front: WoT
Two Indian soldiers missing in US after military exercise
2008-03-30
NEW DELHI - Two Indian soldiers have gone missing during a joint exercise with US troops last week in California and Indian authorities are approaching the State Department for help in tracing them. The army contingent involved in the joint exercise with American troops at Camp Pendleton in California, found that two of its men - Sanjay Mahato and Santosh Thapa - were missing, sources in the External Affairs MInistry said. The troops were participating in exercise Shatrujeet (victory over enemy).

The exercise was part of expanding Indo-US defence cooperation and it was in 2005 that a team had gone to Camp Pendleton for the first time. The next year, US Marines came to India for an exercise at Belgaum. Immediately, the authorities got in touch with the Los Angeles Police Department for assistance in locating the two men, who were being treated on absent without leaven the sources said, adding assistance was also sought from the Indian consulate in San Francisco which took up the matter with the local State Department.

However, with nearly 10 days having passed by, the Indian mission was now going to take up the matter with the US State Department to press authorities in Los Angeles to help trace the two soldiers, the sources said.
Posted by:Steve White

#15  As a native of the OC and a Pendleton Marine, I can't blame 'em. %^&hole India vs SoCal..easy choice. Surprised the whole battalion didn't go over the wire.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy   2008-03-30 15:37  

#14  Anyone check the Quickie Marts in Barstow?

"Yeah, you guys don't look like illegals and I do need a couple new clerks for the night shifts, so maybe..." - Manager.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2008-03-30 13:49  

#13  believe it or not - Tijuana's not a good bet. They check ID's, Passport's and Visa's coming back in to the U.S., and with teh crime wave, it's lost it's luster as a party place. If they were in SD, they'd more likely be in Pacific Beach, or the Gaslamp Quarter where the good times are easier....
Posted by: Frank G   2008-03-30 13:44  

#12  Doesn't say if they were last seen at Ft. Irwin or made it back to Pendleton, however notifying the LAPD probably says Pendleton. TJ's the other way so someone heard them say something about LA.
Posted by: Muggsy Gling   2008-03-30 13:22  

#11  Hmm... Ft. Irwin. Lots of desert out there. It's very, very empty, out in the sticks, emptier than most people are accustomed to think of California being.
And I presume that someone has taken a page from the Kingston Trio and checked the Tijuana jails? If I were looking for a couple of missing servicemen in Southern California and the area of Sandy Eggo, that's about the first place I'd look, on the assumption that they went out bar-hopping one night and got in trouble south of the border.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom   2008-03-30 12:48  

#10  There are villages in India and Nepal where every family has sons in the military, literally for generations.

Desertion is the 2nd greatest shame that can befall a family (cowardice in battle is the first). It really is "death before dishonor" for these places.

If these two are from such a community, their families will be shunned.
Posted by: john frum   2008-03-30 11:41  

#9  Geez, John - they'd scare the living crap out of me.

Great pics - thanks.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2008-03-30 11:08  

#8  photos of Gurkha basic training
Posted by: john frum   2008-03-30 10:03  

#7  

NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, FORT IRWIN, Calif., (March 12, 2008) -- Gorkha 1/1 Indian Army Soldiers observe an assault on a fixed position during a live-fire exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. as part of Exercise Shatrujeet 2008. Exercise Shatrujeet is a combined arms exercise conducted by U.S Forces and members of the Indian Army to share knowledge and build interoperability for possible future operations. The 15th MEU Command Element, BLT 2/5, CLB-15 and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-165 are continuing with pre-deployment training for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment in the spring of 2008.



NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, FORT IRWIN, Calif., (March 12, 2008) -- Gorkha 1/1 Indian Army Soldiers, firing Marine Corps weapons, aim in at a fixed target during a live-fire exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. as part of Exercise Shatrujeet 2008. Exercise Shatrujeet is a combined arms exercise conducted by U.S Forces and members of the Indian Army to share knowledge and build interoperability for possible future operations. The 15th MEU Command Element, BLT 2/5, CLB-15 and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-165 are continuing with pre-deployment training for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment in the spring of 2008.
Posted by: john frum   2008-03-30 09:23  

#6  "The two soldiers, who are from 1/1 Gorkha Rifles and hail from Nepal, have been declared AWOL (absent without leave). Mahato and Thapa did not take any weapon, ammunition or their passports with them," said an officer.

"If they do not return after 30 days, they will be declared deserters. They will dismissed from service and face penal action on being arrested. It looks like a case of illegal immigration. After our contingent returned from the US on March 23, a court of inquiry is underway into the episode," he added.
Posted by: john frum   2008-03-30 07:57  

#5  Missing soldiers are Nepalis (Gurkas)

"Both the jawans are from Nepal and have completed about seven years and four years of service respectively with the battalion of the Indian Army. All equipment and documents, including the passports of the soldiers are safe and are held with the Army contingent officials," Mathur said.

Maintaining that the CoI will trace out details of the incident, Army sources said the soldiers disappeared on the night of March 20, hours after the conclusion of 'Exercise Shatrujeet'. The incident came to light the next day, when they failed to turn up for the morning roll call.
Posted by: john frum   2008-03-30 07:56  

#4  Their names were Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
Posted by: JFM   2008-03-30 06:35  

#3  Mebbe they went to TJ.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2008-03-30 02:38  

#2  It's a pity that our own local governments aid and abet such people.
Posted by: gromky   2008-03-30 01:58  

#1  They prob'ly hopped on a bus to Vegas...
Posted by: PBMcL   2008-03-30 01:44  

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