Anantnag encounter: Colonel Manpreet Singh's son, dressed in camouflage, salutes father at last rites as nation mourns
The funeral of Colonel Manpreet Singh was performed in Punjab's Mullanpur after he lost his life during an anti-terror operation in Anantnag.
The final rites of Colonel Manpreet Singh, who sacrificed his life during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, were performed in Mullanpur, Punjab, as the nation mourns his loss.
Colonel Manpreet left behind a two-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son. Despite being too young to possibly understand the gravity of the situation, his children paid their tributes to Colonel Manpreet's supreme sacrifice for the nation. Emotion ran high as his son Kabir, dressed in camouflage, saluted the mortal remains.
Colonel Manpreet, who served as the commanding officer of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Indian Army, along with Major Ashish Dhonchak and deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat succumbed to the injuries received in an encounter with terrorists at Gadole in the Kokernag area of South Kashmir. A soldier, part of the counter-terrorism operation, who was reported missing earlier, also lost his life.
Colonel Manpreet's mortal remains, draped in the national flag, received a sombre homecoming in his native village of Mullanpur, with full military honours.
Former Army chief general (retd) VP Malik was also among the thousands of mourners, including family members and fellow officers, who came together to bid their final farewell to this third-generation Indian Army personnel.
Major Dhonchak was laid to rest with full military honours in his hometown in Panipat. Patriotic slogans -- "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Ashish tera naam rahega" -- rent the air. A large number of women had also turned up along the route and paid their tributes to the soldier.
Meanwhile, DSP Humayun Bhat's last rites took place in Budgam on Wednesday evening.
Security forces continue to combat terrorists in the Narla area of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. As the operation enters its third day, drones have been deployed to pinpoint their locations in the forested, hilly terrain of Anantnag district.
