Army Chief Gen Rawat pays tribute to two soldiers killed in J&K

NEW DELHI: Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat and top brass of the force today paid glowing tributes to the two soldiers who were killed in a militant attack near Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

            Militants had yesterday attacked an Army convoy on the highway yesterday, killing Naik Dipak Kumar Maity and Manivannan G in the incident.

            In his brief comment to the media after paying tribute to the soldiers at Palam airport, Gen Rawat said, “Work is worship for us.”

            “For a soldier, work is his religion and therefore, we are often told that work is worship… We must all pay our respect and homage to these brave soldiers who have attained martyrdom in the line of duty,” Rawat said.

            The mortal remains of the two soldiers are being taken to their native places where they will be laid to rest with full military honours.

            43-year-old Naik Kumar hailed from Midnapur in West Bengal and had joined the Army in 1997. He is survived by his wife Rikta and a 13-year-old daughter.

            Hailing from Thiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu, 25-year-old Manivannan G had started his career in the Army in 2013. He is survived by his parents — mother G Chinnaponnu and father Gopal G.

            Gen Rawat had yesterday visited formations on the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir and was briefed on the operational and logistical preparedness of the force.

            During his visit, which followed repeated instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan in recent times, he exhorted soldiers deployed in the Valley to maintain utmost vigil and operational focus.

            He had also called on J-K Governor N N Vohra and discussed the internal and external security management issues in the state. (AGENCIES)