The mortal remains of the rifleman Sandeep Singh Rawat, martyred while foiling an infiltration bid along the loC in Jammu & Kashmir’s Tangdhar sector on Thursday, were consigned to flames with full state honour at Kharkhari cremation groundin Haridwar on Saturday.
Earlier, the body had been brought to his native place Nawada at Raipur in Dehradun on Friday. Thousands, including the Chief Minister Harish Rawat, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, state BJP president Ajay Bhatt and BJP Mahanagar president Umesh Aggarwal and several Garhwal Rifle officers visited his residence to pay respect to the martyr.
Among those present at the time of the cremation were the state cabinet minister Dinesh Aggarwal and MlA Heera Bisht. A large number of people came out as the coffin wrapped in the national flag carrying Sandeep’s body was being taken to his Nawada residence in the city.
CM said he felt the time had come to wage an all-out war to stamp out terrorism once and for all.
“I salute the martyrdom. Not a day passes these days when a mother does not lose her son for the sake of the nation. All these sacrifices would not go in vain,” he said after he laid a wreath on Sandeep’s body.
Son of an ex- servicemen Harendra Singh Rawat, Sandeep (24) had been recruited in the Army only in January last year. The Rawat family hails from Ghodpala village in Pauri Garhwal. However, they have been residing in Navada area of Dehradun for the past 12 years.
The news of Sandeep’s martyrdom cast a somber shadow on the locality adjacent to Defence Colony. Neighbours say that the martyred jawan was to visit home on November 1. “It is still unthinkable that he would never return here to recount his experiences in fighting terror. We are all in a state of shock. It is all the more saddening that the cremation is being held a day before the people are to celebrate Diwali,” said a neighbor.
It is learnt that Sandeep was a member of the group of GR soldiers’ team that spotted some terrorists trying to cross lOC. In the ensuing gun battle Sandeep sustained injuries following which he was airlifted to 92 Base hospital Srinagar where he breathed his last.
