Assam Rifles Rifleman V Teja Dies of Gunshot Wound on Duty in Nagaland, Organs Preserved After Death

Rifleman V Teja of the 15 Assam Rifles, a native of Odisha’s Rayagada district, died after suffering a gunshot wound while on operational duty in Nagaland, days before his 31st birthday and ahead of his planned wedding in December. In a final act carried out in line with an organ-donation pledge he had signed about two years ago, his organs were retrieved and preserved at a hospital in Nagaland.

Teja, who served with Charlie Company of the 15 Assam Rifles, was hit by a bullet during operational duties in Nagaland on Monday, 5 October 2026. Officials told news agencies that he was taken to hospital but was declared brought dead. The exact circumstances in which he was injured have not been made public.

Naib Subedar Ravindra Kumar Naik of the same battalion, who escorted the mortal remains, said the full sequence of events would be known only after the post-mortem, which was expected to take about a week. The family was informed that Teja had died in the line of duty after sustaining a gunshot wound.

Teja had joined the armed forces in 2022 and was posted in Nagaland. He had been granted 50 days’ leave and was expected to return home for Diwali before his wedding on 10 December. He would have turned 31 on 7 October, the day his body reached Rayagada.

According to his family, including his younger brother, Teja had signed an organ-donation declaration around two years earlier. After his death, a local hospital in Nagaland retrieved and preserved his organs in accordance with that wish. Reports have not specified which organs were collected or identified any recipients.

The mortal remains were flown by helicopter to Visakhapatnam and then transported by ambulance to Rayagada. His return drew a large public response, with hundreds of residents joining a motorcycle rally that began about 10 kilometres from the town. Fireworks were set off and people raised chants in his honour as relatives and neighbours gathered outside the family home.

The district administration is scheduled to pay official tribute on Thursday morning, with funeral rites set to begin at 7 am.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he was deeply grieved by the death of Rifleman V Teja of the 15 Assam Rifles while on duty in Nagaland, adding that his “supreme sacrifice” and dedication in the service of the motherland would remain etched in memory. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the peace of Teja’s soul.

Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the bravery displayed by the Odia soldier was immeasurable and that he had made an unparalleled sacrifice during security operations in Nagaland. Patnaik said Teja’s courage had filled every Odia and the nation with pride, and that he would remain immortal.