Sikkim accident: Mortal remains of 3 soldiers consigned to flames with military honours in Haryana

Mortal remains of three soldiers, who were among the 16 soldiers killed in a road accident in Sikkim, were consigned to flames with military honours at their respective villages in Haryana’s Hisar, Fatehabad and Charkhi Dadri

The mortal remains of three soldiers, who were among the 16 soldiers killed in a road accident in Sikkim, were consigned to flames with full military honours at their respective villages in Haryana’s Hisar, Fatehabad and Charkhi Dadri districts on Sunday.

Army officials carrying the mortal remains of soldier Arvind kumar at Jhojhu Kalan village in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri. He was among the 16 soldiers killed in a road accident in Sikkim. (Manoj Dhaka/ HT Photo)

Lance Naik Somvir Singh of the 113 Engineer Regiment, a native of Sindol village in Hisar, havildar Arvind Kumar of the 8 Rajputana Rifles from Jhojhu Kalan in Charkhi Dadri, and grenadier Vikas Kumar of the 25 Grenadiers from Fatehabad’s Pili Mandori village lost their lives and their mortal remains were brought to their respective villages on Sunday from the Delhi airport.

At Jhojhu Kalan village in Dadri, soldier Arvind Kumar’s eight-year-old son lit the pyre. Bhiwani-Mahendergarh MP Dharambir Singh and Dadri MLA Sombir Sangwan also attended the funeral. Arvind had resumed duty on December 12 and attended his younger brother’s wedding on December 7. The slain soldier’s wife, Pinki is posted in the women’s police station in Dadri. His father Rajender Singh said he will send his grandson to the army to serve the nation, adding Arvind was scheduled to retire in March next year.

Somvir is survived by his wife Nisha Devi, one-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. He had joined the army in 2015.

The villagers have announced to build a park in his memory. Somvir’s brother Surender is also in the army. He is currently posted in Pune. His father Ramkishan Thukia works as a labourer in the village and his mother Sharda Devi is a homemaker.

Meanwhile, the last rites of grenadier Vikas Kumar were performed on the same ground at Pili Mandori village in Fatehabad where he nurtured his dream of joining the army and practiced for years. Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal, Jannayak Janata party state president Nishan Singh, local villagers and administrative officials along with army officers attended his last rites. Kumar had joined the army four years back and got married two years ago. His six-month-old son lit the pyre.