Tearful adieu to Capt Pawan Kumar

Jind (Har) Feb 22: A tearful adieu was today given to 23-year-old Capt Pawan Kumar, who died fighting militants in Kashmir's Pulwama district, with hislast rites performed at his native village with full military honours.

On the Army and Government's appeal, Jat protesters had cleared up the roads leading to the martyr's village.

The Army had appealed to the people of Haryana to extend support in giving a "befitting farewell" to the brave son of the soil. Earlier the martyr's body draped in the tricolour was flown from Pathankot, where a wreath laying ceremony was held.

A gun salute was given to the martyr by the Army at Badhana village, even as his pyre was lit by his father Rajbir Singh, a school teacher.

Rajbir had earlier said that he had one child which he gave to the Army and to the nation. "No father can be prouder," Singh had said about the supreme sacrifice made by his son. Despite Haryana including Jind district being hit by the Jat stir, a large number of people turned up to pay tributes to the son-of-the-soil.

Senior officials from the Army and senior Ministers of the Haryana Government-- Capt Abhimanyu and Om Prakash Dhankar, besides State BJP President Subhash Barala and opposition party leader INLD leader Ramphal Majra paid their last respect to the officer.

Capt Abhimanyu, who was seen wiping off his tears while paying tributes to the officer, said that his sacrifice had taught a lesson to the youth of the state that if one has to lay down his life, it should be for the sake of one's country. "I salute the great son-of-the-soil. Future generations will forever remain indebted to him," Abhimanyu said.

Kumar, an officer of the elite Para unit, was among two army personnel from the unit who lost their lives in the fierce encounter with militants holed up inside a government building in Pampore town.

The young captain of the Special Forces was an inspiring leader who inspite of being injured earlier in an anti-terrorist operation went on to volunteer for more operations.

PTI