People paid a tearful adieu to Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh (40) and Naib Subedar Satnam Singh (42), two of the four Punjab soldiers killed in Ladakh, on Thursday.
Mandeep’s mother, wife, son and daughter saluted him as the body was consigned to flames at Seel village in Patiala district. Mandeep’s son lit the funeral pyre.
Shower of flowers
As the mortal remains of Mandeep, draped in the Tricolour, arrived at his village, slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Shaheed Mandeep Amar Rahe were raised. Several villagers holding flags showered flowers on the vehicle carrying his body.
In Gurdaspur’s Bhojraj village, Naib Subedar Satnam Singh was cremated with full military honours. People in large numbers paid their last respects.
Memorial gate
“Since his childhood he always had a dream of joining the Army and serving his country,” said Jasbir Kaur, his inconsolable mother. Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ishfaq announced that a memorial gate will be constructed in his name.
The bodies of two other soldiers — Sepoy Gurtej Singh of village Bire Wala Dogra in district Mansa and Sepoy Gurbinder Singh of village Tholowan in Sangrur — are expected to arrive on Friday, an official said.
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