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Punjab: Soldiers killed in Kulgam encounter cremated with military honours
The two soldiers were killed in an overnight gunfight with terrorists on the ninth day of an ongoing encounter in Kulgam on Saturday.
Lance Naik Pritpal Singh (28) from Manupur village near Samrala and sepoy Harminder Singh (26) from Mandi Gobindgarh, who lost their lives during an ongoing army operation in Akhal area of Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir, were cremated with military and state honours on Sunday.
Samrala MLA Jagtar Singh Diyalpura, along with sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Rajnish Arora, superintendent of police (SP) Tejvir Singh Hundal paid tributes on behalf of the Punjab government and the district administration, respectively. Army men performed the ceremonial last salute.
MLA Dialpura said chief minister Bhagwant Mann assured that the state government stood with them in the difficult times. The MLA said the state government would provide financial assistance to the family as per its policy.
SDM Arora, while sharing condolences with Pritpal Singh’s wife Manpreet Kaur, father Harbans Singh, mother and brothers, affirmed that the district administration would always be ready to assist the family. Samrala BDPO Lakhwinder Kaur, naib tehsildar Rajesh Ahuja and senior army officers, along with a large number of local residents, social and religious figures also offered tributes.
Pritpal had joined the army in 2015. His uncle and father’s elder brother are also retired army personnel. He was married off just six months ago. Pritpal’s brother Harpreet Singh said he received a call on Friday morning from army officials that he died in a gunfight. He was eagerly awaited by his family, as this Diwali was to be his first visit home after his wedding just a few months ago.
Sepoy Harminder Singh (26) was to return home on leave in a week, his cousin said. He is survived by his elderly parents, a brother and a sister.
The two soldiers were killed in an overnight gunfight with terrorists on the ninth day of an ongoing encounter in Kulgam on Saturday. The encounter began on August 1 after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in a forest at Akhal in the south Kashmir district, following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists there.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has already expressed grief over the death of the two soldiers. Former CM Amarinder Singh, too, condoled their death. “Their supreme sacrifice in service to the nation will never be forgotten,” Singh posted on X. (With PTI inputs)
