Agniveer cremated with state honours

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, January 20

The mortal remains of 17 Light Sikh Infantry Jawan Ajai Singh, who attained martyrdom during a landmine blast in Naushera sector, Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, were consigned to flames at Ramgarh Sardaran village crematorium near here today.

The last rites of the Agniveer took place with state honours. This also led to clearing up of doubts which had originated following the denial of the same to Amritpal Singh, an Agniveer from the state, who was martyred last year.

Senior officials from the Army, administration and police besides, hundreds of people bid a tearful adieu to the martyr amid a patriotic atmosphere.

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik, Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal, Payal SDM Poonampreet Kaur, Payal MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura, Payal DSP Nikhil Garg, Major Aravind Kumar and Subedar Ravinder Singh placed wreaths on the martyr’s body wrapped in the National flag.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed condolences to the grieving family telephonically and assured them that he would visit Ramgarh Sardaran before the bhog ceremony.

Payal SDM Poonampreet Kaur said the body of Agniveer Ajai Singh had arrived in the region during the wee hours of Saturday and was kept with military honours at Ludhiana.“We arrived in Ludhiana at 6 am and brought the body to Kup Kalan on Ludhiana-Malerkotla Road where people from all walks of life gathered to receive the body,” said Dr Poonampreet Kaur adding that the body was taken to Ramgarh Sardaran in a decorated van. She said the military officers wished for the body to be brought to the martyr’s native village in daylight so that people could pay their respects.

Charanjit Singh (father), Manjit Kaur (mother) and sisters of the martyr exhibited rare courage during the last rites ceremony. “We are proud of our son for having joined the armed forces and now for sacrificing his life in service of the nation instead of taking up some easy job,” said the parents.

Gurdeep Singh, a close associate of the grieving family said the residents have demanded that the youngest sister of the martyr be given a government job and that a girls schools should be opened in memory of Ajai Singh, with his statue or bust.

Though no formal announcement was made by the administration about the CM’s visit to the family, cleaning of a nearby grain market yard, suggested that he would be visiting the family soon.

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