Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced an assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the family of Agniveer Akshay Laxman Gawate, who died in the line of duty in Siachen last week.Shinde also expressed condolences to the family over the death of Gawate, who hailed from Pimpalgaon Sarai in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, as per a statement.Situated at an altitude of around 20,000 feet in the Karakoram mountain range, Siachen is known as the world's highest militarised zone, where soldiers have to battle extreme cold and strong winds.
Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande and all ranks of the force had condoled the death of Agniveer Gawate."All ranks of Fire and Fury Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of #Agniveer (Operator) Gawate Akshay Laxman, in the line of duty, in the unforgiving heights of #Siachen and offer deepest condolences to the family," the Army's Leh-headquartered Fire and Fury Corps said on X on Sunday.Gawate Akshay Laxman is the first Agniveer from the Indian Army to make the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. The Indian Army, senior ministers, and Opposition leaders expressed their condolences and offered their support to the family of the soldier, but Gawate Akshay Laxman's death has also reignited the debate around the Agniveer scheme of the central government.