Kurukshetra, October 31 --- Mortal remains of Mandeep Singh (27), who
was killed at the border of Machhil
sector of Kupwara, in Jammu & Kashmir on Friday evening was cremated at his
home village Aantehri, 20 kms from here with full state honour on Sunday.
Earlier, his body was brought from Ambala
cantonment on a helicopter at the helipad of Kurukshetra University from where
it was carried by the armymen in a convey to his village with full state honour.
As luck would have been, his body was placed at a
newly constructed house, in which he had planned to shift on Diwali day. His
elder brother Sandeep said that Mandeep had started the construction of his new
house in the village last year and had planned to shift here on the Diwali day.
A ‘puja’ had started at the house on Thursday, and Mandeep had rang up to
inform that he would not be able to come home as his leave have been cancelled.
He asked us to go ahead with the ‘greh parvesh’ ceremonies and shift to the new
house. Now his dead body is lying there, he bemoaned.
Mandeep was cremated adjoining to his new house,
and his elder brother Sandeep lit the pyre.
Mandeep’s wife Parerna got fainted when the pyre
was lit, and a few army men came to her help. Thousands of people including
political leaders attended his funeral. Slogans like ‘Mandeep Amar Rahe’,
‘Bharat mata ki jai’ and ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ continued to echo the area.
Atmosphere got more surcharged when hundreds of women also joined slogan raising.
Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal visited
the house of martyr and expressed his condolences to the family. He announced a
grant of Rs. 50 lakh and one government job for the family member. He said that
Mandeep sacrifice would not be forgotten and government would always be there
to help the family. He said that his sacrifice would not be waisted and our
soldiers would give befitting reply to the enemy.
Mandeep had joined 17 Sikh regiment about 8 years
back. He got married to Parerna, who is working with Haryana Police, two years
back and have no issue yet.
An atmosphere of gloom is prevailed in the village.
Sarpanch Subhash Chander said that no body in the village illuminated their
house or celebrating Diwali. They however, burned one ‘diya’ (earthen lamp) in
each house in memory of Mandeep Singh.
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