Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti pays tributes to the soldiers, who were killed in the Uri attack, at Badami Bagh Cantonment on Monday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Sarwa (Vijaypur), September 19Thousands of people and Army men bid a tearful adieu to Havaldar Ravi Paul and Subedar Karnail Singh, two of the 18 soldiers killed in the Uri attack on Sunday, at their native villages in Samba and Jammu districts, respectively.Mortal remains of both soldiers were brought to the Jammu technical airport on Monday afternoon in an Army helicopter and from there they were taken to their respective villages — Sarwa in the Vijaypur area of Samba district and Shibu Chak in the Bishnah area of Jammu district.In Sarwa village, since morning all roads led to the house of Havaldar Ravi Paul (42), who is survived by wife and two sons, Vansh Salotra (10) and Sudhansheesh Salotra (7).This village is situated a few kilometres away from the international border in the Ramgarh sector. Around 50-60 people of the village are working with the Army. Ravi Paul, youngest of six siblings, was in 10 Dogra Regiment while his two elder brothers have also worked in the Army. His children want to continue the tradition by joining the Army.“My father wanted me to become a doctor and I will fulfil this by becoming a doctor in the Army,” Vansh Salotra told The Tribune. His younger brother Sudhansheesh also thinks on similar lines.Vansh said it was routine that his father used to call them early in the morning to wake them up so that they could get ready for school. “On Sunday also, we got a call from my father at around 5 am and our talk was about routine things,” he said, adding, “I know why people have gathered today here. Because my father has died and they are waiting for his mortal remains to reach the village.”Ravi Paul’s elder brother, Mohan Lal, who is working with Defence Service Corps (DSC) at Ludhiana after taking retirement from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) Battalion, said they used to take leave at the same time and visit the family. “We spent good time together. We also used to talk over phone regularly. The last time we talked was on September 17,” he said.Once the mortal remains of Ravi Paul reached his home, people raised slogans in favour of the Army and against Pakistan. Paul was cremated with full military honours as a galaxy of people including state minister Chander Prakash Ganga, Lok Sabha member Jugal Kishore, Rajya Sabha member Shamher Singh Manhas, the Jammu IG, Army officers and people from all walks of life were present.While on the one hand people felt proud of the sacrifice of the son of the soil, on the other hand there was anger among them over the death of soldiers while they were sleeping.“We don’t want our soldiers to die in sleep. If they have to die, let them die in a battlefield but not inside tents. It is the time to shun rhetoric and do something concrete,” said Roop Lal, naib sarpanch of the village.Meanwhile, thousands of people also attended the last rites of Subedar Karnail Singh at his native village Shibu Chak in the Bishnah area of Jammu district. He was cremated with full military honours.