New Delhi: Colonel B.Santosh Babu, Havildar Palani and Sepoy Ojha were killed on Monday night, in a “violent face-off” with Chinese soldiers at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, in a massive escalation at a time there were efforts to defuse weeks of tension at the border. India retaliated and there were casualties on both sides, said the army. Army sources say the soldiers were not shot but were killed in a physical fight on Indian Territory that involved stones and batons.

Colonel B Santosh Babu hailing from Suryapet district of Telangana, He is survived by wife Santoshi and two kids, a daughter and a son and he was serving at the border for the pastv 18 months. The parents stay at Suryapet district, while his wife and children are based in New Delhi.