2 war heroes cremated in Hamirpur dist
From Tribune Reporters and Agencies

HAMIRPUR, July 16 — The badly mutilated bodies of two martyrs of Hamirpur district, namely Havildar Kashmir Singh of Uhal village and Havildar Raj Kumar of Bagloo village were cremated with full military and civil honours at their respective villages. Both belonged to JAK Rifles and their bodies were received at Hamirpur last night.

Both bodies were taken to their respective villages in a big motorcade and from there taken to the cremation ground for the final rites. The cremation of Havildar Raj Kumar took place on the bank of Bakar Khud. Those carrying the coffin found it difficult to carry on their shoulders and reach the khud after covering a distance of about 3 km down the village. Veer Kumar, the eldest son of the martyr, lit the pyre amid slogans of "Shaheed Raj Kumar, amar rahe," "Bharat mata ki jai" and "Pakistan murdabad, murdabad."

Naik Khajan Singh, the proud father of the martyr, was seen sobbing for the first time at the cremation. He, however, thanked all those who attended the last rites of his son. He said his son laid down his life for the nation and he and his entire family were proud of him.

When the body of Havildar Raj Kumar reached the entrance of the village, women folk showered flower petals on the body. The mother and wife of the martyr were weeping and fell on the coffin. They were taken away from there forcibly. However, they performed all religious ceremonies. The body was not taken to the house as the family had already performed all post cremation ceremonies of the martyr.

Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Balbir Singh Badalia, SDM, and Mr Kuldip Sharma, DSP, represented the state government on this occasion and laid wreaths on behalf of the government. Col D.G.S. Negi and Lt Manpreet Klair represented the Army and laid wreaths on the body. Col Punjab Singh, Director, Sainik Welfare, Himachal Pradesh, also offered his tributes and laid a wreath on the body.

Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister, and Ms Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary, also visited the house of the martyr and consoled the women members of the family.

The mortal remains of Havildar Kashmir Singh were also consigned to flames this morning at Lagdevi Khud amid slogans of "Shaheed Kashmir Singh, amar rahe" and "Pakistan murdabad". Surinder Kumar, son of the martyr, lit the pyre and was seen sobbing at the time of the cremation.

The HP Education Minister, Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, The ADM, Mr Nirmal Singh Suman, and the SP, Mr Ahmed Pyam Siddiqui, laid wreaths on behalf of the state government on this occasion. Col B.R. Bohra and Major R.P. Singh represented the Army and laid wreaths on the body of the martyr on this occasion.

Earlier, the body of the martyr was taken to his house where the women members of the family and surrounding areas gave a tearful send-off to him. The wife and mother of the martyr were weeping and it was difficult to control them.

BILASPUR: The mortal remains of Havildar Raj Kumar of 22 Grenadiers, the fourth hero of Kargil’s Operation Vijay from this district were consigned to flames at his village, Masdhan, and Morsinghi panchayat near Kutheda, 44 km from here on Wednesday morning. Rahul, eight-year-old son of the martyr, lit the funeral pyre amid shouts of "Raj Kumar amar rahe" and "Bharat mata ki jai" by thousands of villagers who had gathered to pay their last respects to this valiant soldier. Led by Col Suresh Kumar, Col Vidya Sagar and Capt R.C. Pathania, contingents of the Indian Army and the Himachal Armed Police reversed arms and fired a volley of shots in the air while bidding farewell to the departed jawan. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ramesh Kapil, presented a wreath on behalf of the Himachal Governor, Ms V.S. Ramadevi. The Himachal Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr Jagat Prakash Nadda, placed a wreath on behalf of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal. Others who paid floral tributes included HP 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee Vice-Chairman K.D. Dharmani, former Education Minister Narayan Chand Prashar, Former Congress MLA Babu Ram Gautam, district BJP president Subhash Thakur, DCC general secretary Pratap Kondal, zila parishad Chairman Dila Ram Dhiman and Ghumarwin SDM B.L. Raghav.

Unremitting concern for Kargil heroes
Contributions keep pouring in
From Tribune Reporters

ROHTAK, July 16 — The Executive Engineer (Public Health), Sampla has contributed Rs 51,830 and the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner Rs 11,000 to the 'Shaheed Rahaat Kosh'.

A sum of Rs 1,43,490 was contributed by the Haryana Roadways Employees Union, Rs 1,11,000 by the Vishwakarma Auto Market Union, Rs 1,02,100 by the Food Grain Dealers Association, Rs 51,000 by the Lions Club, Rs 21,000 by the Pathania Public School, Rs 7500 by the All Haryana Health Driver M.M. Unit and Rs 7,000 by the District Public Relations Office to the Yudh Vir Rahaat Kosh.

Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former Minister donated his two months MLAs pension amounting to Rs 5,000 to the Army Central Welfare Fund.

Mr Sri Kant Walgad, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, said Rs 24 lakh had been collected so far, in the district out of which Rs 15 lakh had been sent to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The District Brick Kiln Owners Association handed over a cheque of Rs 7 lakh to the Deputy Commissioner for the welfare of dependants of the martyrs. In addition to it, various villages of the district contributed nearly Rs 2 lakh to the fund.

YAMUNANAGAR: Mr K.S. Tomar, a former police officer, donated Rs one lakh to the Chief Minister's War Heroes Relief Fund from his income of strawberry. He said that this would inspire several other serving/retired officers to help families of the heroes, who sacrificed their lives for defending the frontiers.

Mr P.L. Babbar, District Primary Education Officer, Yamunanagar said that the teachers and other employees of District Primary Education Department donated Rs 2,96,501 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Mr Sushil Kumar Sharma, retired Headmaster of the Government Senior Secondary School, Machchrauli donated his first pension to the National Defence Fund. The Jagadhri Metal Manufacturers and Suppliers Association has donated Rs 1.5 lakh to the Relief Fund.

A procession was taken out here yesterday by the National Defence Council, Yamunanagar in which school going children participated and the leader of the Congress, the BJP, the HVP, the INLD and many other religious and social organisations also participated. Anti-Pakistan slogans were raised by the precisionists.

MALERKOTLA: Principal, staff and students of local S.A. Jain Model High School contributed Rs 31,000 to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

An industrial house have contributed Rs 22,500 to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for the welfare of families of those Indian soldiers, who have sacrificed their lives in Kargil.

The Officers Association and the Ladies Club of Shreyans Industries Limited Ahmedgarh contributed Rs 21,000 and Rs 5,100, respectively to the National Defence Fund. According to Mr Anil Kumar, President of the Association, the drafts have been presented to Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur.

FATEHABAD: Staff and students of the local DAV Centenary School contributed Rs 20,000 for the families of the brave soldiers of the country who had laid down their lives for integrity of the country while fighting the Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Dras-Batalik sectors.

According to Mr P.N. Kaul, Chairman of the Managing Committee of the school, the amount was collected by students and contribution of one day's salary by the staff members. The amount, he said had been sent to the DAV Managing Body for forwarding it to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. He said that the DAV managing committee had already contributed Rs 11 lakh to the PM's Fund and the committee planned to contribute Rs one crore for the relief fund.

KURUKSHETRA: Management of the Geets Niketan Residential Senior Secondary School, Kurukshetra, at a function held at the school premises here contributed Rs 50,000 to the Haryana Chief Minister's War Heroes Relief Fund, while Rs 25,000 were given to Mr Ranjeet Singh, father of Sepoy Sanjeev Kumar of Kaulapur village in the district, who laid his life for the sake of our country, while fighting the enemy in Kargil. On this occasion, the parents of martyr Major Nitin Bali, who died in harness in the Siachen sector in October last, were also honoured.

Mr Puran Chand Arora, founder President of Shri Puran Chand Arora Charitable Trust, Kurukshetra has contributed Rs 1,01,000 to the Haryana Chief Minister's War Heroes Relief Fund to honour the martyrs of Kargil and their dependants.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kurukshetra branch today gave Rs 21,000 to the family of Sepoy Sanjeev Kumar, who laid his life while repulsing the Pakistani intruders on Tiger Hill during first week of this month. The branch also resolved to provide medical aid to the whole life to the family members of Sepoy Sanjeev Kumar. The branch members also observed two-minute silence to pay homage to the departed heroes in general and Sepoy Sanjeev Kumar, in particular. They also paid rich tributes to the Kargil heroes.

The staff members of Government Senior Secondary School, Amin (Kurukshetra) have contributed Rs 8,565 to the Haryana Chief Minister's War Heroes Relief Fund, while the students of the same school donated Rs 5,835 to the same fund for Kargil victims.

AMBALA: The Subdivision of the Ambala Department of Education has contributed Rs 2,41,663 to the Chief Minister's War Heroes Relief Fund. Mr Balwant Lal, SDE (O), Ambala, presented the amount to the Deputy Commissioner here.

NAWANSHAHR: The district unit of the Youth Congress sent a truck load of ration worth Rs 75,000 to Jammu for the people belonging to Kargil, Dras, Batalik areas, who have taken refuge in various camps at Jammu. Mr Surinder Singh Sodhi, SSP, flagged off the truck here at Punjab Mata Vidhyawati Bhavan on Wednesday. Mr Lalit Mohan Pathak, general secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, Mr Satvir Singh and Ms Jaswinder Kaur Dhir, presidents of the district units of the Youth Congress and the Mahila Congress Sewa Dal, respectively, among others were present on the occasion.

The local unit of the Arya Samaj has sent Rs 5,000 to the Army Central Welfare Fund, informed Mr Prem Kumar Bhardwaj.

The local Raja Diagnostic Centre and Hospital has sent Rs 11,000 to the Punjab War Heroes Family Welfare Fund, informed Dr Jaswinder Singh.

Students of class X of Government High School, Chakdana have contributed Rs 1,654, the students and staff of Government Primary and Middle Schools, Chaharmazara and students and staff of Government Middle School, Kariam have contributed Rs 5,150 and Rs 2,173, respectively.

GURDASPUR: Staff of the Gurdaspur Central Co-Operative Limited has contributed Rs 36,660 towards the Punjab War Heroes Family Welfare Fund, Chandigarh.

ROPAR: The Judicial Officers and employees of the local courts contributed Rs 22,400 to the Army Central Welfare Fund for the welfare of Kargil heroes. According to Mr Maghar Khan, District and Sessions Judge, a bank draft of this amount has already been sent to the fund.

BATALA: Rupees 18,700 were contributed by the employees of the SDM's office and Tehsil office Batala, according to Mr A. K. Sinha, SDM here. The amount has been sent to the Prime Minister Relief Funds for the welfare of Kargil martyrs families. Till date Rs 3.20 lakh has been sent to the Prime Minister Relief Funds for the welfare of families of Kargil martyrs Ms Sinha added.

HOSHIARPUR: Judicial Officers as well as the the employees of Hoshiarpur Sessions Division donated Rs 1,01,850 to the Army Central Welfare Fund, according to the press release by the Superintendent of the District and Sessions Judge here.

QADIAN: The N.S.S. units (boys and girls) Kalaswala Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Qadian (Gurdaspur) contributed Rs 6,000 for the welfare of the families of Kargil heroes, said a press note issued by the principal of the school.

BATHINDA: The Wholesale Cloth Merchant Association has given a cheque of Rs 1.1 lakh to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar as contribution towards the War Heroes Family Welfare Fund.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Ladhar said that about Rs 30 lakh had been collected for the welfare of families of those persons affected in the Kargil conflict so far in the district.

Mr Harnek Singh Sran, SSP in a press note issued here said that local police had sent Rs 3.16 lakh to the Chief Minister, Punjab as their contribution to the Punjab War Heroes Welfare Fund.