Tearful farewell for soldiers from UP

 Thousands of people bid a tearful adieu to two Indian Army jawans, killed in a recent encounter with militants in Kashmir, at their respective villages in Bulandshahar district on Tuesday.

While their grief-stricken parents of jawans Neeraj Raghav and Rahul Singh appeared to be sore with the Union government for what they felt not giving a ‘tough response’ to the enemy forces, they said their other sons were also ready to serve the nation.

“My other son too is ready to sacrifice his life for the country,” said a proud Jaikaran Singh, father of Rahul. He said Rahul’s marriage had been fixed and that he would have got married in December this year.

Rahul was cremated with state honours at his Bahpur village in the district on. Earlier, people made a beeline to pay their tributes to the martyr.

The other jawan, Neeraj Raghav was also cremated at his native village of Deorala with state honours.

Compensation

Earlier, Raghav’s family had refused to cremate the body demanding that a representative of the Union and state government attend the cremation. However, they relented after the state government announced compensation to the families of the martyrs.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 20 lakh each to the next of the kin of the martyrs. It also promised to construct memorials for them.

However, the family appeared to be sore with the government. 

“The government must do something. We cannot remain silent while our sons get killed on the Line of Control,” said a member of Neeraj’s family.

The kin said the government must give a ‘befitting reply’ to the enemy forces so that it might not dare to open fire at our soldiers.