Rewari village bids goodbye to its braveheart sepoy

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Rewari, February 19

A tearful Rewari’s Ramgarh village bid goodbye to its braveheart on Tuesday.

Sepoy Hari Singh was a 26-year-old solider with the 55 Rashtriya Rifles who was killed in an encounter with militants in Pulwama on Monday, four days after a suicide bomber killed at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers.

Many eyes filled with tears as his 10-month-old infant son lit his father’s funeral pyre. His body was consigned to flames with full military and state honours.

A shocked and bereaved Ramgarh received the soldier’s body amid chants of “Hari Singh amar rahe” and “Vande Matram” when it arrived on Tuesday morning. His wife Radha fainted after she saw the soldier's body, and his mother Pista Devi was inconsolable.  

“We salute the martyrdom of Hari Singh. His sacrifice will not go in vain and befitting reply would be given to the enemy,” said an army officer.

Sepoy Hari Singh joined the army eight years ago. He was awarded commendation certificate by his commanding officer two months ago when he shown exemplary bravery and courage during a special operation that led to arrest of two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants in Kashmir on November 13, 2018.

Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, Haryana Ministers Rambilas Sharma, Rao Narbir and Dr Banwari Lal and Rewari MLA Randhir Singh Kaprivaas were among those dignitaries who attended the funeral.