AKHNOOR, May 6: A pall of gloom descended at Dalpat Chak village near Kirpalpur in Jourian area of Akhnoor Sub Division in Jammu district, after the body of martyr Neelam Singh, wrapped in tri-colour and kept in a decorated Army vehicle, arrived at his native village today.
Right from Akhnoor town up to Martyr’s village, hundreds of youth in the form of a bike/car rally escorted the decorated Army vehicle, chanting loud slogans…..” Shaheed Neelam Singh Chib Amar Rahe”….. “Indian Army Zindabad’…..” Bharat Mata Ki Jai’…. and so on. The bikes, cars and other vehicles, part of long rally were fitted with national flags. Besides youth of the area, many ex-servicemen also joined rally and last rites of the martyr.
The 10-year-old daughter-Pawna Chib and 7-year-old son-Ankit Chib of Hav Neelam Singh, made every one in tears when both of them literally fell on the body of their father, screaming, ” Please, get up Papa, talk with us,…..say something to us. Why are you not getting up Papa?”
The shattered children stretched out their hands to touch the face of their father, an ace Para-trooper Neelam Singh, who lay in a coffin, wrapped in National flag.
Standing next to the kids, their shell shocked mother- Vandana Chib was in disbelief at her husband’s lifeless face held between her hands before she broke down.
Pertinent to mention here that Singh was among the five soldiers who were martyred in an explosion triggered by terrorists on Friday in the thickly forest area of Kandi in Rajouri district, where an operation is underway to flush out terrorists.
A very emotional and heart-rending scene was witnessed at the house of martyr where a large number of villagers and men in uniform from his Para-Commando Unit had gathered to pay their last rites. Many were in tears while others tried to make their way through a crowd of hundreds who had gathered to catch the last glimpse of the ‘brave son of the soil’.
