Colonel Santhosh Hailed From Suryapet; Parents Shattered

HYDERABAD: Colonel Bikkumallu Santhosh Babu, who was killed along with two soldiers in the violent clash between the Indian and Chinese forces near the line of actual control (LAC) at Galwan Valley in Ladakh last night, hailed from Suryapet in Telangana. The entire town of Suryapet instantly went into a state of mourning after officials conveyed the heart-breaking news to Santhosh Babu’s family.

Colonel Babu is survived by wife Santhoshi and two children, a nine-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son. While his parents live in Suryapet, his wife and children are in Delhi.

According to reports, he was the commanding officer of a battalion at Galwan. He was the Colonel of the Bihar Regiment. Santhosh Babu took charge as the Commanding officer on 2nd December 2019.

“During the de-escalation process in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place last night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation,” an Indian Army statement read.

Santhosh Babu was a resident of Vidya Nagar in Suryapet. He graduated from the Indian Army’s prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) after initial education from Korukonda Sainik School, Hyderabad. His father is a retired Bank manager. 

 It is reported that he was transferred to Hyderabad three months ago but he had to stay back at the LAC due to the nationwide lockdown which cripple commuting and public transportation. A pall of gloom descended on his residence even as friends and relatives flocked to it to console the grieving family members.

‘As a mother, I am very sad. But, I am also happy that my son gave up his life fighting for the country.’ says mother of the Commanding Officer.