Freedom fighter cremated with state honours

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, August 30

The mortal remains of freedom fighter Gurdial Singh (97), who passed away on Thursday, were consigned to flames with full state honours today.

Family members said Gurdial Singh went to Malaysia in 1937. He joined the Indian National Army (INA) there in 1943. He was a driver of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.

“Due to some health problems, he died on Thursday. President Ram Nath Kovind had felicitated Gurdial at Rashtrapati Bhavan this month. It’s really disappointing that no politician from the ruling and other parties attended his cremation and only officers paid tribute. The absence of politicians is an insult,” said Harinder Singh Khalsa, president of Freedom Fighters’ Successors Organisation, Punjab. Sangrur SDM Avikesh Gupta, DSP Satpal Sharma along with other senior officers attended the cremation.