Nation bids adieu to Kupwara braveheart Mandeep Singh

The nation on Sunday bid adieu to Kupwara braveheart Mandeep Singh, who was killed in an encounter near the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday.

Thousand gathered here from the village and nearby areas for his last rites.

As a mark of respect for Mandeep and to stand in solidarity with his family, the entire village has decided to not celebrate Diwali.

Mandeep of 17 Sikh Light Infantry was killed by the terrorists, aided by the Pakistani Army, in Macchil sector of Kupwara district. They left his body in a mutilated state.

Son of a truck driver, 27-year-old Mandeep joined the army in 2009.

He is survived by his young wife Prerna, who serves as a Head Constable with the Haryana Police. They got married in 2014.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced a financial assistance of Rs. 50 lakh to Mandeep's kin.

"We all stand along with their families. Rs. 50 lakh will be given as compensation and a government job will be offered to a family member. The government in order to ensure that Mandeep's sacrifice is always remembered will do all suggested by the family members of the braveheart. We will not let the sacrifice of these soldiers go in vain," he said.