CHANDIGARH, Dec 24: A day after Pakistani troops killed Sepoy Pargat Singh, his father today exhorted the Centre to avenge the killing of his son and other Indian soldiers.
Pargat Singh was one of the four soldiers killed in a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district.
“Our Government must give a befitting reply to Pakistan. Why is our Government not taking any action? They must teach them a lesson,” Pargat’s father Rattan Singh said.
Pargat Singh’s mother Sukhwinder Kaur was distraught, so was his widow Ramanpreet Kaur.
“He telephoned me yesterday but disconnected the call abruptly.. Later on, this news (about his killing) came,” an inconsolable Ramanpreet Kaur said.
Rattan Singh said his son wanted to join the Army from an early age.
“Our entire family is proud of his sacrifice,” he said.
The soldier leaves behind a five-year-old son, whose photograph in Army-like fatigue adorns one of the room of the house where the family lives in Ramba village in Haryana’s Karnal district.
In Amritsar, people from all walks of life bid a tearful adieu to Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, who was martyred in a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu’s Rajouri district.
Singh’s last rites were performed with full military honours.
The martyr’s body, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought in a Army vehicle. A large number of people gathered to pay their last respects to the martyr, who had joined the force nearly 14 years ago.
A month ago, Singh had visited his family in his native village.
Singh, the sole breadwinner in his family, is survived by wife Kuljit Kaur and an eight-year-old daughter Vipindeep Kaur.
His father Tarsem Singh (65), mother Gurmeet Kaur, younger brother Harpeet Singh and sister Daljit Kaur also lived in the same house in a joint family.
“We were informed about the death yesterday in the evening telephonically by the Army authorities,” his father said.
He said the family has a small piece of agricultural land, but it was not enough to sustain a large family now that the sole breadwinner was no more.
Earlier, Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka from Amritsar on the behalf of Punjab Government laid a wreath on the martyr before his last rites were performed.
Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar Kamaldeep Sangha announced a grant of Rs 12 lakh and a job to one member of the family and free education to children of the martyr. (PTI)
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