Antehri (Haryana): The last rites of army jawan Mandeep Singh, who was killed by terrorists in Macchil sector of Jammu and Kashmir, were held with full state honours on Sunday, even as his family and villagers demanded that Pakistan be given a befitting reply for its repeated misadventures.
The jawan's body, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought in a bedecked army vehicle to his native village here as a large number of people including from neighbouring areas paid their last respect.
The martyr whose body was mutilated by the terrorists, was given a gun salute by the army, which sounded the last post. Mandeep's father lit the funeral pyre.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, senior army officers, officials from the district administration were present on the occasion.
Villagers who kept chanting "Shaheed Mandeep Amar Rahe" also raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
The 30-year-old soldier was scheduled to return to his village to celebrate Diwali and for a ceremony in connection with the family's newly constructed house here, but instead he returned in a coffin, his family and local villagers, all of whom were inconsolable, said.
Mandeep's family and villagers demanded the Centre avenge the sacrifice of soldiers and teach Pakistan a lesson.
People of his village said they will not be celebrating Diwali today as a mark of respect to the martyr's supreme sacrifice. However, each household has decided to light a "diya" (earthen lamp) in his memory.
Mandeep's sacrifice is the second loss to the district within a week after BSF constable Sushil Kumar, who belonged to Pehowa here, was martyred in Jammu district.
Antehri is famous as a village of soldiers. Several youths from here are serving in the armed forces.
There was anger among the people in Antehri over the barbaric incident at the Line of Control in Kashmir as the body of the jawan was mutilated by the terrorists, who were aided by the cover fire by Pakistan army.
Mandeep had joined the 17th Sikh regiment as a sepoy in 2008. He had got married in 2014.
Consoling the martyr's family, Khattar while responding to their demand that stern action be taken against Pakistan for harbouring terrorists and its repeated misadventures, said that "we will teach them a lesson".
"We will avenge this. Pakistan will be taught a lesson," Khattar said.
He also said, "The martyr laid down his life for the nation's sake. In this hour of grief, we are standing solidly behind the family. We will give whatever assistance they require."
