Two soldiers ‘desert’ regiment in US after exercise with Marines

**kuku** · 28th March 2008 07:15

Two soldiers ‘desert’ regiment in US after exercise with Marines
Pranab Dhal Samanta

Camp Pendleton: Search on as US authorities lodge complaint; Govt says they are treating them ‘absent without leave’

NEW DELHI, MARCH 27 : Two Army soldiers disappeared last week from the troop contingent that had gone to the US for joint counter-terrorism exercises with the elite Marine Corps in California as part of Exercise Shatrujeet.
US Defence authorities lodged a complaint with the local police in California and efforts are on to locate them. While they are currently being referred to as soldiers who are “absent without leave,” sources said the Army may soon declare them deserters. It’s being seen as an illegal migration attempt.
“We are aware of the incident and efforts are on to trace the soldiers who are absent without leave,” said the spokesperson of the Indian Embassy in Washington.
The two, Sanjay Mahato and Santosh Thapa, from the First Gorkha regiment participated in the 10-day exercise that started on March 10. The contingent reached the US on March 8 at the National Training Centre, Fort Irwin, California.
The company-level exercise was being carried out with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton, California, one of the largest US Marine bases in the country.
It’s learnt that the soldiers went missing on March 20, the last day of the exercise, from Camp Pendleton.
Sources said the two men did not have any passport or other travel document on them as these were, as is the practice, with the senior official in-charge of the company, which comprised close to 100 men. The team departed for India on March 22.
The Indian Consul General in San Francisco met US officials to explain the situation.
Only recently, the Army came under the scanner after a racket of forging official passports issued to military bands traveling abroad came to light. The matter was referred to CBI for further investigation.
Officials here are concerned given that this contingent was chosen after careful selection. Usually, the Armed Forces look to send their best team of soldiers and officers to such joint exercises. Exercise Shatrujeet started as 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.

Pride wont feed your family, LoL more illegal immigrants, This should be interesting, next time that Indian army goes to USA. I think US will have to get MPs follow the soldiers around.

Probably the Gorkha element in the British Army can be extended, or the US army could open one of its own.

And the US complains about the Mexicans, they should thank their stars that they are not next doors to the Indian subcontinent.

**Expat Canuck** · 28th March 2008 07:36

Originally Posted by kuku

And the US complains about the Mexicans, they should thank their stars that they are not next doors to the Indian subcontinent.

I know it's wrong but I wish the two guys well if they are the nice non murdering types.

**kuku** · 28th March 2008 07:44

I think they should have some people in US, friends or relatives supporting them.

I have heard about Indian sportsmen running away while on a tour of USA, some people from Indian dance troops that go to USA do the same, in fact its apparently a small business to arrange this.

USA seems to be the fav. destination
Something to take pride in for the US citizens

**bolo121** · 28th March 2008 07:52

Haha hilarious.
after hearing of the pittance offered by the 6th pay commision who can blame them.

**Tarek Morgen** · 28th March 2008 08:18

Four years ago a German club invited the national handball team of Sri Lanka to a spare match but the game had to be cancled because the whole team disappeared shortly after arriving in Germany. Shortly after that the sportsminister of Sri Lanka announced that their country did not even had a national handball team and it seems like the whole idea was just a plot of some people to get a way into the country and to stay. Though I am not really keen in illegal immigrants but I kinda have to give them respect for idea and execution. To my knowledge none of them have been managed to be found yet.

**Adux** · 28th March 2008 08:44

Shoot at sight please!!!!!!

**kuku** · 28th March 2008 08:59

Originally Posted by Tarek Morgen

Four years ago a German club invited the national handball team of Sri Lanka to a spare match but the game had to be cancled because the whole team disappeared shortly after arriving in Germany. Shortly after that the sportsministor of Sri Lanka announced that their country did not even had a national handball team and it seems like the whole idea was just a plot of some people to get a way into the country and to stay.

Though I am not really keen in illegal immigrants but I kinda have to give them respect for idea and execution. To my knowledge none of them have been managed to be found yet.

Classic man, classic, bet Germans could not stop laughing.

This is a nice Idea, lots of these agents are always up to something in India.

Originally Posted by Adux

Shoot at sight please!!!!!!

How does this work?

Do we still recruit Gorkhas from Nepal, or is the Indian Gorkha community enough for the job.

In case the soldiers were from Nepal, how will the Legal Part work out if they are caught?
Prosecution by Indian Army, or in Nepal?

**Adux** · 28th March 2008 09:07

By Indian Army , Only Indian citizens can join the Indian Army as far as I know.

**Tarek Morgen** · 28th March 2008 09:08

Mot of us..yes but the band who was suppossed to play the hymn was pretty angry. They spended weeks training to play the hymn of Sri Lanka (though most of that time was used to find that hymn in the first place)

**kuku** · 28th March 2008 09:14

This NDTV report(2006) on india-defence seems to suggest otherwise

Boys like 16-year-old Kiran Rana, from villages across western Nepal, have gathered in a centuries-old tradition. They all want to be soldiers, but it is not the Royal Nepal Army they will join.

They want to be recruited into the Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. The competition is tough only one in 50 will make it and Kiran is one of the lucky few. Around 50,000 Gurkhas from Nepal serve in the Indian Army, a tradition dating back to 1805 when the British began recruiting them.

Gurkhas line up to join the Indian Army | India Defence

**Adux** · 28th March 2008 09:28

Kuku,

Maybe they become Indian citizens on selection

**dave lukins** · 28th March 2008 11:40

If true and they have deserted their Regiment, they had better be very good at escape and evasion. If declared deserters they will not be "flavour of the month" back in their Regiment.

If perchance they can see this....Kaphar hunnu bhanda marnu ramro

it's the Gorkha Motto..."better dead than a living coward"

**tankie** · 28th March 2008 11:43

Originally Posted by bolo121

Haha hilarious.
after hearing of the pittance offered by the 6th pay commision who can blame them.

Are they conscripts or volunteers ???

**Adux** · 28th March 2008 11:45

Indian Regiments arent very forgiving, Trigger happy American cops against the Gurkha's, what are the odds...

**Adux** · 28th March 2008 11:46

Maybe they will volunteer themseleves to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan,

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