Army jawan killed in avalanche cremated with full military honours in Kathua

The wreath-laying ceremony and military funeral of Sepoy Harish Singh of 18 Dogra Rifles were held in his native village, Jandore.

Singh's body was brought to the village in a flower-decked vehicle and cremated amid a gun salute and the final bugle. Army, police and civilian officers, besides political leaders, attended the jawan's cremation.

"He laid down his life for the country. He was guarding a border post in the difficult Kargil sector, where an avalanche resulted in his death. We are proud of him," Sona Singh, a relative of the slain jawan, said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rajiv Jasrotia paid tributes to the soldier and said, "He was a brave son of the soil from my Assembly constituency."