Soldiers killed in avalanche cremated

Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Churian (Gurdaspur)/Sangrur, November 20

The body of sepoy Maninder Singh (28), who died in Siachen on Monday after being trapped in an avalanche, was cremated here today with senior Army and administration officers in attendance. He was a part of a seven-member group, all of whom lost their lives.

Those who were present to pay their last respects were Lt Col Manoj Somnathan, Major Sri Krishnan, chairman of Gurdaspur Zila Parishad Ravi Nandan Singh Bajwa, Batala MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal and SAD Majha (Youth wing) incharge Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon.

Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said every type of help would be extended to the bereaved family. The deceased’s brother, Gurvinder Singh, said 12 years ago, Maninder was recruited in the Punjab regiment and for the last four months, he had been posted in Siachin.

“Yesterday evening I got a call from the Army headquarters in New Delhi that Maninder along with his companions were going to the base camp to drop a soldier of Dogra regiment as he was ill but on the way, the group was hit by an avalanche due to which five soliders, including his brother, and two civilian porters were killed,” he said. The deceased is survived by his wife Akawinder Kaur and their five-year-old son Ekamjot Singh.

Meanwhile, the body of Sepoy Veerpal Singh (22), who too was killed in the avalanche, was consigned to flames at his Gowara village in Sangrur with full state honours today. He had joined the Army around 20 months ago. “We got the information on November 18. He was the first member of our family to join the Army,” said Kuldeep Singh, elder brother of the deceased.

Meanwhile, soldier Dimple Kumar, who was killed in the avalanche, was cremated on Wednesday at his native Saidon village in Hajipur block of Hoshiarpur. The funeral pyre was lit by his cousin Harvinder. During the last rites, a contingent of the Army gave him the last salute by firing bullets in the air. Kumar had joined the Army 18 months ago.