Homage paid to Rajouri martyrs

Jammu, November 24

Rich tributes were paid to the five soldiers who died while fighting the terrorists in Rajouri district of the Jammu division. In a wreath-laying ceremony, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi of the Northern Command paid home to them in Jammu. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also laid wreath and paid homage to the bravehearts. Chief Secretary AK Mehta, DGP RR Swain, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and IGP Anand Jain were among a large number of officials of the armed forces, civilian and police officers who paid tributes to the martyred soldiers with full military honours.

In a statement, Sinha mentioned, “I bow to our Army bravehearts — Capt MV Pranjal, Capt Shubham Gupta, Hav Abdul Majid, LNk Sanjay Bisht, Ptr Sachin Laur — martyred while protecting the motherland during an anti-terror operation in Rajouri. Their valour and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Condolences to their families.” Captain MV Pranjal hailed from Mangalore in Karnataka, Captain Shubham Gupta from Agra in UP, Havildar Abdul Majid from Poonch in J&K, Lance Naik Sanjay Bist from Nainital in Uttarakhand and Paratrooper Sachin Laur was from Aligarh in UP.

Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, Chief of Staff, Northern Command, paid homage to the martyred soldiers in Poonch. Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed when the body of Havildar Abdul Majid reached his native village of Ajote in Poonch. Local residents, including children, were seen making a beeline near his house.

The remains of the martyrs will be airlifted to their native places from Jammu for last rites, officials said.

Captain Pranjal is survived by wife Aditi G. Capt Gupta leaves behind his father Basant Kumar Gupta. Havildar Majid is survived by his wife Sagera Bi and three children, while Lance Naik Bisht and Paratrooper Laur leave behind their mothers Manju Devi and Bhagvati Devi, respectively.