 On 15 May 1999, Kalia and five other soldiers – Sepoys Arjun Ram, Bhanwar Lal Bagaria, Bhika Ram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh of the 4th Jat Regiment - were on a routine patrol of the Bajrang Post in the Kaksar sector in the Ladakh mountains when they engaged in a firefight with Pakistani forces across the LOC.The patrol out of ammunition, were encircled by a platoon of Pakistani rangers, and captured before Indian reinforcements could reach them.Radio Skardu of Pakistan announced the capture.