TRAGIC Martyr Gursewak Singh, Garuda commando, had got married on November 18 last year; he had gone to his Ambala home to drop his wife Jaspreet Kaur only last week
CHANDIGARH: Garuda (Indian Air Force) commando Gursewak Singh, 25, had got married on November 18 last year. The family, which lives in Garnala village of Ambala district, could not believe the news when they were informed by the air force personnel in the morning that Gursewak had died in the terror attack at Pathankot. Now, the house that hosted a wedding just two months back is waiting to host his funeral.
R KHANA/HTThe grieving family of Garuda commando Gursewak Singh at Garnala village in Ambala on Sunday; and (below) the martyr and his wife Jaspreet.Gursewak had joined the Indian Air Force six years ago as an airman. Even when the news of Pathankot attack flashed on television screens, the family was not alerted as Gursewak was deployed at Adampur. It was only later that he was asked to join the security forces thwarting the attack at the air base.
Last Sunday, Gursewak had visited the home to drop his newlywed wife, Jaspreet Kaur. Presently, she is at her parents’ home. The martyr’s father, Sucha Singh, said: “I am proud of my son. He sacrificed his life for the nation. He was fearless. He always wanted to join the air force.”
Mother Amrik Kaur, meanwhile, was inconsolable. Gursewak’s brother Hardeep Singh is also in the army. As soon as the news of Gursewak’s death spread in the village, people gathered at the house to offer condolences. Haryana health minister Anil Vij, too, visited the family to offer his tributes. “It is a loss that cannot be compensated. The whole nation will remember their sacrifice.” Gursewak’s body arrived at his home at night and the cremation will be held at 11am on Monday.
`20-LAKH RELIEF FOR KIN
Meanwhile, Haryan CM Manohar Lal Khattar expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and announced `20 lakh as financial assistance to them.
Himachal proud of its two heroes
DHARAMSHALA: Two Himachal soldiers were among the seven bravehearts, who laid down their lives fighting the Pakistani terrorists in Pathankot on Saturday. Another Indian Air Force (IAF) jawan from the state was injured.
Havildar in the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Sanjeevan Singh Rana, 50, of Siyunh village in Shahpur of Kangra district, died after he was injured critically.
Sanjeevan had retired from the Dogra Regiment in 2007 and joined the DSC. He was transferred to the Pathankot air base from Jammu two years ago. The DSC is a specialised unit that provides security at the defence ministry sites. Sanjeevan is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Another casualty was Havildar Jagdish Chand (48), hailing from Gola village of Sihunta tehsil in Chamba district. Jagdish also retired from the Dogra regiment in 2009 and joined the DSC and was transferred from Leh to Pathankot a few months ago.
He had come to his village on a 10-day leave and returned to join duty only a day before the attack.
The martyr is survived by his wife a son and two daughters.
Bodies of the two martyrs would be brought to their native villages on Monday.
The villagers rushed to the houses of the two martyrs as soon as the reports of their supreme sacrifice poured in and expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Kangra, Hitesh Lakhanpal, and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Shravan Manta also visited Sanjeevan’s family.
Meanwhile, Shahpur Congress leader and vice-president of Himachal Pradesh Forest Corporation Kewal Singh Pathania expressed grief over the death of two soldiers and assured all possible help from the state government to the families.
Martyr Fateh’s son too wants to don olive green
GURDASPUR: The mortal remains of Honorary Capt Fateh Singh Thakur, a Defence Security Corps (DSC) personnel, who died fighting Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists inside the Pathankot airbase on Saturday, will be consigned to flames with full honours on Monday.
HT PHOTOWomen mourning the death of honorary captain Fateh Singh Thakur (inset) at Jhanda Gujjaran village in Gurdaspur.Fateh, an ace internationallevel shooter who won many medals for the country, was a resident of Jhande Gujjaran village in Kahnuwan block of Gurdaspur district.
After retiring from the 15 Dogra Regiment in 2011, Fateh started living with his family at Mahu in Madhya Pradesh. A few months later, he joined the defence security corps — a specialised unit that provides security to defence ministry sites. He was shifted to the Pathankot airbase in 2014.
Fateh’s family members said he always wanted to serve the nation. “He was so passionate about the army that he got his eldest son Gurdeep Singh Deepu enlisted in the same regiment (15 Dogras) from where he had retired,” martyr’s cousin Kuldip Singh told Hindustan Times.
Fateh, who was honoured by then Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was popular with the villagers for his good nature. Fateh is survived by his wife Madhu Bala and two sons. His younger son Nitin Thakur,who is studying in class 9,s also wants to follow in the footsteps of his father and elder brother and join the army.
KULWANT VISITED FAMILY ONLY LAST WEEK
Another DSC personnel, who laid down his life fighting terrorists on Saturday, also hails from Gurdaspur. Havildar Kulwant Singh, 48, will be cremated with full honours at his native village —Chak Sharif village — on Monday.
Kulwant, who retired from the army in 2004, joined the DSC in 2006. He is survived by his wife Harbhajan Kaur and two sons — Surinder Singh, a Class 12 student and Gursharan Singh, who studies in Class 6. He was transferred from Odisha to Pathankot air force station just two months ago.
Surinder said his father had come home last week to spend time with the family and had joined back on Tuesday.
Kulwant’s uncle Kuldip Singh told HT that he was proud of his nephew. He said Kulwant’s salary and pension was the only source of income for the family.
They sprayed bullets as soon as they saw us’
PATHANKOT: As the Air Force base here continues to be under attack by the Pakistani terrorists even after 40 hours, Defence Security Corps (DSC) personnel Karnail Singh, who was inside the air base, on Sunday said the entire base was put on high alert following the input that terrorists were likely to target it.
Karnail, who reached Gurdaspur on Sunday, to mourn the death of his DSC colleagues Kulwant Singh and Fateh Singh, said, “The terrorists were heavily armed and sprayed bullets as soon as they spotted our men near the mess. I can’t say about their exact number but the way they fired, they were definitely more than four.
When asked about the point from where they must have moved into the base, Karnail said they might have entered the base from the rear side.
Five DSC personnel have been killed in the operation. Karnail said the security forces had guarded the hangar area where fighter planes were parked.