SHAHEED

SEPOY RAKESH KUMAR

Soldiers cremated with full honours

HOSHIARPUR:

Sepoy Rakesh Kumar of 16 Dogra , who was killed in artillery firing by Pakistan in Naushahra sector of Jammu and Kashmir on July 7, was cremated with full military honours at his native village Raypur near Datarpur today.

The 22-year-old soldier was the only son of his parents. The martyr is the 13th soldier from the district to make the supreme sacrifice. His father Nathu Ram lit the pyre of his only son. Colonel H.S. Dhaliwal led the Army contingent in paying homage to the soldier. Congress MLA Ramesh Dogra and BJP MLA Arnish Shakar, Mahant Ram Parkash Das of Vishva Hindu Parishad and former BJP MP Kamal Choudhary placed wreaths on the body of the martyr.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, said on the occasion that Datarpur-Hajipur road via the native village of the soldier and government primary school at his village had been named after him. Shops and educational institutions at Datarpur remained closed as a mark of respect to the young soldier. Havildar Karam Singh of 9 Mahar Regiment, who laid down his life while re-capturing of Tiger Hill, was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Chhanni Rai Ide Khan, about 70 km from here, in Mukerian subdivision of the district yesterday.

Army and Police contingents reversed arms as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Karam Singh is survived by his wife Pushpa Devi, two daughters and a son. The body of the martyr was brought from Chandigarh and was placed in the house of the deceased at his village last night.