Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 23: Family of BSF brave heart, Gurnam Singh, who attained martyrdom last night after struggling between life and death for about 36 hours in the Government Medical College, Jammu, is proud of Gurnam’s sacrifice but, at the same time, was saddened by the fact that he couldn’t get proper medicare.
Gurjeet Kour, sister of Gurnam Singh, who was yesterday praying for the life of her brother, said she was proud of her brother’s sacrifice for the country. However, she said, her brother might have survived if he would have been airlifted and taken to New Delhi for treatment.
“Gurnam didn’t get adequate treatment here,” she lamented while speaking to large number of media persons, who had reached Gurnam’s house this morning after he succumbed to his injuries at the GMC Jammu at 11.40 pm last night.
Gurjeet Kour called for construction of specialized hospitals in Jammu for the treatment of soldiers injured on the borders so that they survive the injuries.
Gurnam was injured at about 10 am on October 21 while manning forward post at Bobiya in Hiranagar sector. He was hit by bullet in his head in sniper shot fired by the Rangers and was rushed to the GMC Jammu, where there is no specialized treatment for head injuries.
Gurnam’s father Kulbir Singh said he was proud of the supreme sacrifice made by his son, which will be remembered forever.
Additional DG BSF Arun Kumar, however, told reporters that an air ambulance had been kept ready for airlifting the injured Gurnam Singh outside the State but they had to go by the advice of doctors.
“The Central and State Governments and the BSF were ready to provide full assistance to the BSF martyr but he succumbed to the injuries,” Kumar, who had visited the GMC Jammu yesterday soon after reaching here from Chandigarh, said.
Meanwhile, there was huge rush of villagers in the house of martyr Gurnam Singh at Magowali, RS Pura with people from several villages thronging there to offer their condolences and salute the courage and bravery of Gurnam Singh, who was instrumental in thwarting the infiltration attempt by six Pakistani militants on the intervening night of October 19 and 20 at Bobiya Post of Hiranagar sector in Kathua district, along with other BSF jawans.
However, Gurnam couldn’t be cremated today despite completion of legal formalities like post-mortem as the family wanted to complete some traditions today.
He will be cremated with full honours at his native village in RS Pura sector at 10 am on Monday.
Though the people of entire Jammu region were proud of the son of the soil (Gurnam Singh) and his sacrifices for the nation besides the BSF’s effort to save him, there was general impression that the Government Medical College, Jammu should have super specialists of Neuro Surgery, who could save the injured like Gurnam Singh.
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