Gurdaspur braveheart’s parents inconsolable

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, June 17

Naib Subedar Satnam Singh (41), who was among those martyred while fighting Chinese troops in Ladakh, is survived by his parents, wife, a son and a daughter. His last rites will be performed either on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ishfaq, SSP Rajinder Singh Sohal and SDM Sakatar Singh Bal reached the deceased’s native village Bhojraj in Dhariwal tehsil, soon after they got information about the soldier’s martyrdom.

Barring a few officials, nobody was being allowed to go to Satnam’s house. His brother, Subedar Sukhchain Singh, said he did not want people to go to their house as “it will not be good for his aged parents who are in a state of shock.” Satnam had joined the Army in 1995. His father, Jagir Singh, was inconsolable.

The SSP said: “We are not sure whether his body is brought from Ladakh to Chandigarh or Pathankot. So we can’t tell the exact time of cremation.” Condolences poured in from various quarters with Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, in whose assembly seat Bhojpur falls, saying he will talk to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh about the financial aid that could be given to the family. “We will do whatever is permissible under the rules. Soldiers like Satnam Singh never die. They remain in our memory as heroes. We should accord due respect to them,” said Randhawa.