Bravehearts cremated with state honours

Faridabad/Hisar, August 13

The bodies of Army jawans Manoj Bhati and Nishant Malik, who were martyred in an encounter with terrorists in the Rajouri sector of J&K, were today cremated with full military and state honours in Shahjahanpur village in Ballabgarh subdivision of Faridabad and Dhanderi village in Hisar, respectively.

Twentysix-year-old Manoj and 21-year-old Nishant were among the four jawans martyred on Thursday.

Hundreds of residents joined the funeral procession taken out from Ambedkar Chowk in Ballabgarh town to the martyr’s village. Those participating in the procession raised slogans of “Shahid Manoj Bhati Amar Rahe”.

Manoj was the youngest among the four siblings of Babu Lal Bhati and his wife Sunita. While Sunil’s elder brother is also in the Army, his younger brother Yogesh resides with his parents.

Martyr’s sister Asha was inconsolable as the family received information about his martyrdom on the day of Rakhi. Manoj had rejoined duty after 45-day leave last month. He was married last year. His wife is eight-month pregnant. Manoj joined the Army in 2017.

Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar, Haryana Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma, who is also an MLA from Ballabgarh, Ballabgarh SDM Gopal Sharma, district BJP president and a large number of political and non-political persons paid floral tribute to the martyr.

The body of the martyr was kept at his house for about 45 minutes where the villagers paid tribute to him.

Meanwhile, at Dhanderi village in Hisar, a large number of people, including Hansi MLA Vinod Bhayana, Deputy Commissioner Dr Priyanka Soni, Superintendent of Police Nitika Gehlot and senior officers of the Army offered floral tributes to martyr Nishant Malik.

People from his native village and adjoining areas attended the last rites of the jawan in large numbers. They raised slogans such as “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”

and “Vande Mataram”.

The body was kept at the government school for people to pay their last respects to the martyr.

Martyr’s father Jaiveer Malik, an ex-serviceman, said Nishant’s sisters had talked to him on the eve of Raksha Bandhan. He was in the Army canteen when he received information about the martyrdom of his son, he said. Jaiveer Malik had sustained bullet wounds during the Kargil war.

Hailing from Dhanderi village, the family now lives in Hansi town. Nishant has three sisters of whom two are married. The family planned to solmanise the marriage of its youngest daughter in December this year. Nishant had booked a car to give to his sister as wedding gift.