The children were held up by locals while a huge crowd gathered to pay their last respects.
New Delhi:
The six-year-old son of Colonel Manpreet Singh, one of the three killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Kashmir’s Anantnag, wore military camouflage as he saluted as his father’s body arrived home in Mullanpur in Punjab’s Mohali district. His two-year-old sister stood next to him and mimicked the greeting, the two seemingly oblivious to the tragedy that had befallen the family. The children were held up by locals as a huge crowd gathered to pay their last respects to the brave.
Colonel Manpreet Singh’s wife, sister, mother and other relatives were inconsolable, footage from the scene showed.
#WATCH | Son of Colonel Manpreet Singh salutes the mortal remains of his father who laid down his life in the service of the nation during an anti-terror operation in J&K’s Anantnag on September 13
Colonel Manpreet Singh’s last rites will take place in Mullanpur… pic.twitter.com/LpPOJCggI2
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2023
Colonel Manpreet Singh, 41, commander of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles (19 RR) and recipient of the prestigious Sena Medal (Gallantry), died of gunshot wounds on Wednesday evening after the army and police launched a joint operation in response to specific intelligence about terrorists .
Three personnel, including the colonel, a major and a deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, were killed in the gunfight with terrorists in the upper reaches of Kokorenag area of the valley on Wednesday.
The body of Major Ashish Dhonchak, who led a search column along with Colonel Singh and was moving through the new arrivals and the rugged terrain of the forests when they caught fire heavily, was also brought to his native village in Panipat as thousands of mourners joined the mourners family added. and officers for his final journey.
The body reached his home in Panipat town this morning and was taken in an army vehicle to his native village Binjhol, where the last rites were performed after a wreath laying ceremony and a gun salute.
It took almost three hours for the funeral procession to cover a distance of about eight kilometers from the major’s home in the city to reach his village Binjhol, as mourners gathered to bid him a tearful farewell.
There was also a large gathering at the funeral of 33-year-old Himayun Muzamil Bhat, deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, in Budgam on Wednesday. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and police chief Dilbag Singh paid tribute to the police officer.
