The last rites of four CRPF martyrs from Punjab, who were killed in Thursday's terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, were performed on Saturday as their remains were consigned to flames in their villages with full state honours.
All four were given state funeral and hundreds of people turned up for the last rites. They raised slogans in favour of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and against Pakistan.
The four troopers from Punjab were Jaimal Singh of village Kot Ise Khan in Moga district, Sukhjinder Singh of Gandiwind village in Tarn Taran district, Maninder Singh Attri of Dinanagar town in Gurdaspur district and Kulwinder Singh of Rouli village in Nurpur Bedi area of Ropar district.
Contingents of the CRPF gave the final guard of honour to the martyrs. Ministers, political leaders and local administration officials were present when the last rites were performed.
Villagers and family members vented their anger on the attack and demanded that the Centre should avenge the deaths and give a befitting reply to the Pakistan-backed terrorists.
Jaimal Singh, 44, was the driver of the fateful bus that was blown up in the attack. He left behind his ageing parents, wife, a 10-year-old son and a younger brother. Sukhjinder Singh left behind his parents, wife and a seven-month-old son, who was born after a gap of eight years. Maninder Singh had joined the duty on February 13 only. His younger brother is also serving in the CRPF and is posted in Assam now. Kulwinder Singh was to get married later in 2019.
The mortal remains of 28-year old Maninder Singh were brought in a coffin wrapped in the national flag at his residence in Arya Nagar at Dinanagar Saturday morning. The pyre was lit by Maninder's younger brother Lakhvir Singh, who is also serving the CRPF.
He is survived by his father Satpal Singh Attri, three sisters and brother Lakhvir.
Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at his home where people flocked to pay their last respects. Mourners, carrying the national flag, raised slogans of 'Maninder Amar Rahe, Maninder Zindabad' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Anti-Pakistan slogans also rend the air.
Some school students carrying the tricolour were standing on the road from where the vehicle carrying the mortal remains passed.
Maninder had a BTech degree and worked in an IT firm in Bengaluru before joining the CRPF in 2015. His father was a retired Punjab Roadways employee.
Prominent among those who attended the cremation included Punjab Transport minister and local MLA Aruna Chowdhary and former state minister Mohan Lal.
In Rupnagar, People bid a tearful adieu to 26-year-old Kulwinder Singh, who was killed in the Pulwama terror attack, as his mortal remains were consigned to flames with full state honours at his native village Rauli in the Nurpur Bedi area.
The funeral pyre was lit by Kulwinder's father Darshan Singh. Kulwinder, who was a constable in the CRPF, is survived by his father and mother. Mortal remains of Kulwinder wrapped in the national flag were brought to his home in the morning.
Villagers, who thronged the house of the martyr to pay their last respects, sought strong action against Pakistan. Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed as his family members mourned. The fiancée of Kulwinder, who was among the mourners, fainted when his body was brought home.
Darshan Singh, father of Kulwinder, was wearing his son's jacket while holding his photograph.
Seething with anger, villagers chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Pakistan Murdabad' slogans when the mortal remains of Kulwinder was being taken for the final journey. Some among the mourners were carrying the national flag.
Shopkeepers of Nurpur Bedi and Rupnagar market shut their shops to register their protest against the attack. Kulwinder was to get married on November 8 this year and he was renovating his house.
He had left for his place of posting on February 10 after spending 10 days of his leave with the family. He had joined the 92nd battalion of the CRPF in 2014.
Among those who attended the cremation included Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh, SAD spokesperson and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema, AAP MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa, CRPF DIG 84th battalion Amar Singh Negi and Rupnagar Deputy Commissioner Sumit Jarangal.
Thirty five year old martyr Sukhjinder Singh was cremated with state honours at his native village in Tarn Taran on Saturday.
The villagers who had turned out in large numbers gave him a tearful adieu while his father Gurmej Singh lit the pyre. A large number of the residents of the area paid tributes to the departed soul.
The body of the martyr reached the local Civil Hospital late Friday evening. The mortal remains were later brought to Gandiwind village.
Besides the higher officials of the CRPF, Union Minister Vijay Goel and Punjab cabinet minister Sukhbinder Singh Sukhsarkaria were among others who paid rich tributes and laid wreaths on the mortal remains of the martyr.
Sarkaria announced Rs 12 lakh from the state government besides a job for a family member of the martyr.
