E-Paper
Sikkim accident: Pathankot jawan cremated with military honours
A pall of gloom descended on Najowal village in Pathankot district after naib subedar Omkar Singh’s body reached home on Friday.
A pall of gloom descended on Najowal village in Pathankot district after naib subedar Omkar Singh’s body reached home on Friday.
Omkar was among the 16 Indian Army personnel who lost their lives in the fatal road accident in North Sikkim on Friday.
The 285 medium regiment jawan’s body was cremated in the village, in presence of hundreds of people with full military honours. A team of 327 medium regiment led by Major Yogesh presented a guard of honour.
The body was brought to Pathankot by air and was further taken to the village in military vehicles. Cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh and other senior officials were present at the cremation.
Hundreds of young men conducted a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ from the Amritsar-Pathankot highway to the Kanwa chowk to pay homage to the fallen soldier.
Omkar joined the Indian Army 17 years ago and was posted in the artillery regiment as naib subedar.
Omkar was the only brother of three sisters — Seema, Vandana and Mamta. He is survived by four-year-old son Mukund, wife Sapna and aged parents—father Thakur Raghubir Singh and mother Saroj Bala.
The jawan’s pyre was lit by his son Mukund. Omkar’s uncle, Shiv Dayal Singh said, “Omkar always came forward to help the needy families in the village, and now he has sacrificed his life for the country.”
Minister Kataruchak announced ₹1 cr to the family on behalf of the state government.
