SHAHEED

SEPOY RAKESH KUMAR

Rajputana Rifles hero cremated

PALAHI:

Sepoy Rakesh Kumar of 27 Rajputana Rifles was cremated with full military honours here today.

Thousands of men, women and children from various parts of the Hamirpur and Kangra districts bid farewell to the martyr.

Karam Chand, elder brother of the soldier lit the pyre amid slogans of "Rakesh Kumar, amar rahe, amar rahe", and "Pakistan murdabad".

Earlier, the body was brought to Palahi in a motorcade from Hamirpur.

Army jawans and Himachal Pradesh Police personnel reversed their arms at the cremation ground and observed two-minute silence. They fired shots thrice in the air as a mark of respect for the departed soul.

Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh Minister of State for Technical Education, Mr Ravinder Ravi; the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kamlesh Kumar Pant, and the ASP, Mr Brij Mohan Sharma, laid wreaths on behalf of the state government.

Col R.K. Dutta, Col J.S. Sindhu and Major Vishal Rai represented the Army.