Army pays tributes to soldiers killed in Pak firing in J&K's Kupwara

The Army on Friday paid tributes to two soldiers who were killed in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army paid a befitting tribute to Havildar Kuldeep Singh and Rifleman Shubam Sharma, who made the supreme sacrifice on Thursday in north Kashmir, an Army spokesman said.

The two soldiers were killed when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Naugam sector of frontier Kupwara district on Thursday morning.

In a solemn ceremony at Badamibagh Cantonment here, Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen B S Raju and all ranks paid homage to the bravehearts on behalf of the proud nation, the spokesman said.

He said Singh and Sharma were directing retaliatory fire from a forward post on the LoC in response to an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

Both of them laid down their lives in the line of duty as a result of a direct hit by the enemy fire and succumbed to injuries, the spokesman added.

He said Singh (37) had joined the Army on 26 August 2002, and belonged to Raju Dwakhari village in Hoshiarpu District of Punjab and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

Sharma (22) had joined the Army on 17 September 2016, and hailed from Shakhian Chak village in Jammu district and is survived by his father.

The spokesman said while Singh was enrolled in the 15 Sikh Light Infantry, Sharma belonged to the 8 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.

They both displayed their mettle by doing extremely well in their trade work and all fields. These brave sons of the soil displayed immense physical and mental strength in the face of the enemy, he said.

Their bodies were taken for last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours, the spokesman said.

In this hour of grief, the Army salutes their sacrifice and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families, he added.