A 70-year-old retired BSF deputy inspector general died in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh while leading a team to "explore the shortest route to China border", officials said on Wednesday. The retired officer, S C Negi, had commanded a Border Security Force (BSF) battalion in Kargil during the 1999 war between India and Pakistan, and had retired in 2010 after putting in 33 years of service. "He took his last breath in the mountain for the cause of the nation when he was willingly leading a recce (reconnaissance) and survey team of a security force to explore a shortest route to China border in Himachal Pradesh," the BSF said in a statement.

"He was advised by his family against the trip as he being 70-years-old, but he said it will be his last trip," the BSF said in a statement. True to his words, it became his last trip and even after retirement, he died in the line of duty for the nation, the force said. The BSF statement did not identify the security force team that the slain officer was leading.