The grieving wife of slain Rifleman Ravi Kumar at Meen Sarkar Tabela village in Samba district. Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Meen Sarkar Tabela (Vijaypur), February 15She is lost in her thoughts and her eyes are searching for the most loving person on the earth for her, her father. But she is unaware that her father, Rifleman Ravi Kumar, who sacrificed his life for the nation, will never return.As she grows older, Ravi Kumar’s three-year-old daughter Ruhani Ratta will realise and will have to adjust to the fact that her father is no more.While everyone in this village in Samba district was mourning Ravi’s death, Ruhani was wondering why so many people had come to their home and what was inside the coffin that was surrounded by Army men and villagers.Ravi is survived by wife Esha Devi and daughter Ruhani Ratta. Others in his family are father Rattan Lal, mother Shakuntla Devi, two sisters Rekha Devi and Vandana Devi, and brother Kavi Kumar. All were in a deep shock and crying.The 34-year-old soldier was liked by all in the village. He used to play with children whenever he was home. Around 14 years ago, he joined the Army and started supplementing income of father who was a cart-puller. He gave the work after his son started earning enough to run the family.Ravi was expected to reach home on February 18 to get his daughter admitted to a school. However, before he could return, he fell to the bullets during an anti-militancy operation in the Hajin area of Bandipora district yesterday.Talking to reporters, Rattan Lal said during his last chat with Ravi on February 13 evening, he had advised his son to take care of himself as the situation in the Valley was not good. “Ravi replied that everything was normal at the place of his posting, but next morning, an encounter started where he sacrificed his life for the nation,” he said.Saying he was proud of his son’s sacrifice, Rattan Lal said he wanted the government to take a call on Pakistan and go for the final assault. “We don’t want everyday violence and death of our soldiers,” he added.Ravi’s mortal remains reached his house around 2.30 pm. For around 30 minutes, his body was kept in his home and then taken for cremation. He was cremated with full military honours.Local MLA Chander Prakash Ganga, who is also Minister for Industries and Commerce, and newly appointed IGP, Jammu, SD Singh Jamwal also attended the cremation besides hundreds of villagers.