lance Naik Kuldeep Raj of 6 Dogra, who served in the Indian Army for almost 14 years, was fond of driving heavy vehicles. His passion for wheels earned him the job during the screening process. During all these years, he bravely steered heavy vehicles on hilly roads and discharged his duties with full commitment. On Thursday morning, Kuldeep drove for the last time. An audacious strike by heavily armed militants in a thickly-forested area between Paralong and Charong about 80 kms from Imphal, blew off his vehicle and ended his life's journey on a zig-zag road.
In all 20 jawans were martyred and 11 others were injured in the dastardly attack. Out of these 20 soldiers, six of them hailed from Jammu region.
“I am proud of my husband. Till my last breath I will proudly say my husband was a brave soldier and attained martyrdom in the line of duty,” said Gyatri Devi, Kuldeep’s wife.
Suresh Kumar, Kuldeep’s cousin said after joining the Indian Army, Kuldeep always motivated young students to work hard to fulfil their dreams. He took them for PT sessions in the open fields and coached them to qualify fitness test during the screening process.
Soon after the family received a phone call from the Kuldeep’s unit on Thursday evening, the family members along with his wife went into shock.
They could not believe the news and rushed to the nearby Army unit to verify the information. Kuldeep's wife Gyatri Devi broke down after some senior officers of the local Army unit visited their house in Burn Village and confirmed the news of his supreme sacrifice.
She had last spoken to her husband on Wednesday night.
“He informed me during my brief chat that he would be visiting home after shifting to Chandigarh soon,” Gyatri Devi told The Pioneer, holding picture of her husband in lap.
She said his unit was supposed to move to Chandigarh and the process was already underway.
“He was a caring husband and loving father. He loved me more than my parents,” she said, remembering the good times spent with her husband in the five-year-long marriage. He madly loved his daughter and had even distributed sweets after her birth.
“On Wednesday, when I was struggling to speak with him due to poor connectivity, he kept asking me whether I am eating properly. He was always cheerful and told me to be brave. Before I could respond, his phone call disconnected. That was the last time I could speak to him,” Gyatri said, weeping inconsolably.
large number of villagers who were present in the house paid homage to the son of the soil by remembering his good deeds.
His elder brothers Ashok Kumar and Purshotam Kumar said though Kuldeep was younger brother but he shouldered the responsibilities and helped them build their dream house in his native Burn Village in Bhalwal area of Jammu.
Family members of Naib Subedar Ram Singh, Havaldar Satpal Bhasin, Havaldar Sunil Kumar Sharma, Havaldar Randeep Singh, Sepoy Vijay Kumar are also awaiting mortal remains of their loved ones so that they could pay their homage and perform their last rites.