Poonch attack: Grieving families of slain soldiers get ready to bid last farewell

Chandigarh/Rajouri/Bhubaneswar: Inconsolable families of soldiers who were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch struggled to come to terms with their loss on Friday as they prepared for their loved ones' final journey home.

In the soldiers' villages in Punjab and Odisha, hundreds gathered at their homes to show solidarity with their families and hailed the sacrifice of the troops.

Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Kulwant Singh, Sepoy Harkrishan Singh and Sepoy Sewak Singh, all from Punjab, and Lance Naik Debashish Biswal from Odisha were killed on Thursday after their vehicle came under attack from unidentified terrorists and caught fire in Poonch.

The soldiers were from a Rashtriya Rifles unit deployed for counter-terror operations.

The Army paid tributes to its soldiers at a wreath-laying ceremony at a military camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri before their mortal remains were sent to their native places.

While the mortal remains of the four soldiers from Punjab would be taken by road, Biswal's body was airlifted, according to officials.

"The nation will always remain indebted to our bravehearts for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," an officer said.

In Charik village in Punjab's Moga district, Kulwant Singh's brother said the government and the Army should give a befitting reply to the attack.

Holding Kulwant's four-month-old son in his arms, he said his brother loved his family and had asked him to ensure timely vaccination of his son.

Kulwant, who had recently visited his family, also leaves behind a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter and his wife.

Former village head Bakshish Singh said the entire village is pained by the loss of their brave son but at the same time, is proud of the supreme sacrifice he has made for the country.

In Bagha village in Bathinda, Sewak Singh's elder sister's tears won't stop.

A villager, who was among the mourners, demanded that the Army give a befitting reply to the "cowardly act" of terrorists.

At Harkrishan Singh's house in Talwandi Barth village in Batala, villagers hailed his supreme sacrifice for his motherland.

Harkrishan had recently visited his family. Hours before he was killed, he spoke to his wife and two-year-old daughter on a video call, the villagers said.

Mandeep Singh belonged to Ludhiana district.

Similar scenes were witnessed at the house of Debashis Biswal's house in Khandayat Sahi of Alaguma panchayat in Odisha's Puri district.

"We are pained as well as proud that a son of our soil became a martyr. He was a great person and participated in all village events when he came home. He last visited the village four months ago," said Biswal's cousin Lalit Kishore Nayak.

Biswal got married in 2021 and is survived by his wife Sushree Sangeeta and a seven-month-old daughter.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik condoled the loss of lives in the terrorist attack.

"We received the very sad news of five soldiers being martyred in the incident (terrorist attack), out of which four were from Punjab," Mann told reporters in Moga.

He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore each to the kin of the four soldiers from his state.

Taking to Twitter, Patnaik said, "It is too painful to learn about the martyrdom of brave Odia jawan Debashis Biswal at Poonch sector of J&K. His sacrifice for the nation will be remembered for all time to come. I convey my condolence to the family members of the great martyrs."