Mewat, Rohtak mourn loss of 3 bravehearts in Leh accident

Ravinder Saini/

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, August 20

Amid scorching heat, people were busy doing earth filling on a cornered piece of a government school’s land, some were cutting bushes along the adjoining road and surface levelling was also being done through tractors on Sunday.

This was the scene at Gaddi Kheri village whose son Gunner Ankit (24) was among the nine Army personnel who died on duty after their vehicle plunged into a gorge in Ladakh last night.

“A pall of gloom descended on the village as the tragic news was broken this morning. Though Ankit’s younger brother Deepak is aware of the tragedy, he has not yet shared it with his mother and Ankit’s wife, as it’s a long time of over 24 hours for the cremation of the martyr. Ankit’s father died over three years ago. After that, Ankit was the sole breadwinner for the family,” Ankit’s uncle Sewa Singh, who is also the village sarpanch, said.

Singh said Ankit was passionate about joining the Army since childhood and prepared for the Army exams with his studies. He was selected for the Army in 2018 immediately after completing class XII. He motivated youngsters to join the Army for serving the nation. He got married over seven months ago, the sarpanch added.

Randhir Singh and Ram Avtar, elderly villagers, said residents of Gaddi Kheri village were passionate about Army jobs. “Over 40 villagers are at present serving in the Army and paramilitary forces, while the village has around 100 ex-servicemen. The village’s population is 3,500 with over 1,200 houses,” Singh added.

Gurugram: Among the nine soldiers killed in the Leh accident, two belonged to the Mewat region, with report of their deaths leaving their villages in shock.

Tejpal Singh, a resident of Ujjina village in Nuh, had promised to get gifts for his two sons when he left after his last leave and the boys were eagerly awaiting him.

“We are in deep shock as we don’t know what to say,” said his father Jasveer Singh. Tejpal leaves behind two sons, aged 6 and 3. Tejpal joined the Army in 2013 after completing class XII.

Same is the situation in Hathin Palwal that has lost Manmohan Singh, a resident of Hathin village. He joined the Army in 2016 to fulfil his father’s dream. He was posted as constable. Manmohan had his school education in the village only and prepared for Army exam then only. Manmohan leaves behind three elder sisters, his parents and his only son, who is one-year-old.

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