Former INA soldier dies at age 98, cremated

Freedom fighter and former INA soldier Jaimal Singh, 98, was cremated with state honours here on Friday, family members said.

The former Indian National Army veteran passed away after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, three sons and daughters each as well as grandsons and granddaughters.

Singh breathed his last on Thursday night in his village Sidhrawali on the Delhi-Jaipur-Mumbai highway.

Hundreds of people took part in the cremation that was also attended by Gurgaon Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vatsal Vashisht and Naib-Tehsildar Manesar Sankalp Singh.

The Haryana Police provided a guard of honour.

Several political leaders, social groups and citizen groups expressed sorrow over Singh's demise.

The family said Singh had a sharp memory even at age 98. He often narrated stories of INA and the atrocities heaped on freedom fighters by the British government.

Born in 1917, Singh joined the British Army. He joined the INA on the call of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. He suffered years of imprisonment.