Soldier killed in firing at LoC cremated with full state honours in Ambala

Havildar Nirmal Singh, 38, who was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with full state honours at his native Jansui village, 25km from Ambala, on Friday.

The soldier, who belonged to 10 JAK Rifles unit of the army, was critically injured in Poonch and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Thursday, an official statement read.

His body was first airlifted from Rajouri to the Air Force Station in Ambala Cantonment and later taken to Jansui in an army vehicle.

Havildar Nirmal Singh

His three-year-old son lit the funeral pyre in the evening amid anti-Pakistan sloganeering.

Singh’s uncle Honorary Captain Wazir Singh said Nirmal had last spoken to his wife on Thursday morning, just hours before he was killed. “After a five-month leave, Nirmal had returned to his post a few months back. I got the news at 2.30pm, but didn’t disclose it to anyone. Later, I told them that he is injured, but had to reveal everything in the evening,” he said.

“Nirmal is survived by his mother, wife, a five-year-old daughter, a three-year-old son and a specially-abled younger brother. Nirmal’s father died when he was just five years old. He was brought up with the help of his grandfather, Bhagwan Singh, who died in 2018. Since then, Nirmal was the breadwinner of the family,” Wazir further said.

According to locals, Nirmal’s grandfather was also an armyman, which inspired him to join the forces. His classmate, Jagdish, said Nirmal was hardworking and always cheerful, and joined the army at the age of 21 to support his family.

Deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma, mayor Shakti Rani Sharma, Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel, superintendent of police Hamid Akhtar, sub-divisional magistrate (City) Sachin Gupta, ex-MLA Jasbir Mallour and other administrative and army officials attended the cremation.