Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Sept 19: The last rites of two valiant soldiers of 10 Dogra Regiment, Naib Subedar Karnail Singh and Havaldar Ravi Paul who attained martyrdom in a Fidayeen attack at Uri in North Kashmir district of Baramulla yesterday were performed with full military honours in their native places at village Shibu Chak in Bishnah tehsil of Jammu district and Sarwa, tehsil Ramgarh in Samba district today.
Thousands of mourners from all walks of life including officers and jawans of Army and BSF, Ministers, leaders of various political parties, civil and police officers joined the funeral procession and gave a touching send off to the two sons of the soil who along with 18 jawans of Indian Army, attained martyrdom at Uri in Fidayeen attack yesterday.
Both the villages were in total gloom as the bodies reached there by this afternoon with family members and relatives wailing and beating their chests while tears were seen rolling down from the eyes of every one who was present there.
The words failed to console the family members of two soldiers and every one present was in a state of shock and despair asking a single question that “how long the Government will remain a mute spectator to misadventures from across the border and when it will act to punish the enemy who has wrecked a havoc on us for years together.”?
The sobbing mourners in both the processions were raising slogans that these soldiers will remain immortal till the existence of this universe. However, grief filled with anger was visible on their faces and every one wanted an answer that “how long such devastation and destruction will go on, how long more we have to bleed and how many more sacrifices of our valiant soldiers we have to give”?
One of the mourners in the procession of Havaldar Ravi Paul at Sarwa hamlet said that “Dogras are great warriors and we have shown our mettle in various wars. Dogra soldiers feel proud for laying down their lives for the motherland in battle field but we are pained when some one attacks us in a cowardice way. It is high time for the Government to act and teach the enemy a lesson for its misadventures so that he should never dare to raise an eye towards us in future”, he added.
Another mourner in procession said “we appeal to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to turn his words into deeds as people of this State which has suffered a heavy loss during the 27 year long Pak sponsored terrorism are looking with high hopes towards him”.
He asked if Pakistan can dare and make repeated attacks on our Army camps why can’t India attack the terrorist camps existing in PoK and Pakistan.
Similar were the views of Vijay Kumar Saini, a relative of Naib Subedar Karnail Singh of Shibu Chak, Bishnah. While talking to this reporter, he said the Government should act now and give a befitting reply to Pakistan and teach a lesson to terrorists and their supporters.
As the bodies of two soldiers reached their respective native villages the wreaths were laid on them by the Army officers, Ministers and other political leaders.
The body of Havaldar Ravi Paul was taken into a procession from his house at village Sarwa to the cremation ground and thousands of mourners including men and women joined the procession where his last rites were performed with chanting of Vedic hymns and full military honours. His wife Geeta Rani also accompanied the procession and grief overwhelmed every one when 11 year old son of Ravi Paul, Vanshu lit the pyre.
Industries Minister, Chander Parkash Ganga, senior Army officers, including Deputy Commandant V Santosh, Administrative Commandant R K Raman Krishna and Commander 26 Artillery, Brigade, Brigadier Arvind Yadav, IGP Jammu Danish Rana, DC Samba, Sheetal Nanda, SSP, Samba, Joginder Singh, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, BJP State president, Sat Sharma, general secretary (Org) Ashok Kaul, N C senior leader and former Minister, S S Salathia, MLA Samba Dr Manyal, former Ministers, Manjit Singh and Yash Paul Kundal and Samparakh Parmukh of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh Sanjeev Sharma attended the funeral procession.
At Shibu Chak besides senior army officers, the funeral procession was attended by Minister of PHE Irrigation and FC, Choudhary Sham, MLA Gagan Bhagat, Divisional Commissioner, Dr Pawan Kotwal, DC Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, Bharat Sharma, Seh Samprakh Parmukh of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on the behalf of Minister. The processions started from the residence of Naib Subedar Karnail Singh to cremation ground in the open jeep and thousands of mourners both men and women participated in it. They gave an emotional send off to this brave soldier. Wreaths were placed over his body by army officers, minister and other leaders and his last rites were also performed with chanting of Vedic hymns and full military honours. The pyre was lit by his eldest son Anmol.
Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal told the Excelsior that the Government will give Rs 5 lakh each to next of kin of martyrs as per the fixed norms.
Earlier, Special Indian Airforce helicopter flew in the mortal remains of martyrs Subedar Karnail Singh and Havaldar Ravi Paul of 10 Dogra today at the Technical Area Airforce Station Jammu.
The wreath laying of the martyrs was done by Kavinder Gupta, Speaker State Assembly, Bali Bhagat, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Zulfkar Ali, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Chander Parkash Ganga, Minister for Industries and Commerce, Jugal Kishore, MP, Sat Sharma MLA and Rajesh Gupta, MLA. Wreath were also laid on behalf of Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS PMO, by his PROs, Ravinder Rana, MLA, Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Danesh Rana, IGP, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, DC, brother–in-laws of martyr Sub Karnail Singh, Bhav Singh and Devi Raj Saini, Major General Sanjeev Sharma, General Officer Commanding Tiger Division, Air Commodore Ashutosh Lal, Brigadier Randir Singh and other Senior Officers from the Civil Administration and the Army.
The bodies were taken to their respective villages from technical airport by road.
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