Samba attack: Lt Col cremated with military honours

The body of Lt Col Bikramjit Singh, killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba Thursday, was cremated with full military honours here Friday.

A second generation army officer, he leaves behind his wife, eight-year-old daughter and parents. He was from the 16 Cavalry.

Western Command General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) Lt Gen Philip Compose and a number of senior army and civilian dignitaries laid wreaths and paid their respects to the martyr. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of the governor of Punjab, chief minister of Punjab, the Chief of Army Staff and others.

"Lt Col Bikramjit Singh, second-in-command, 16 Cavalry, attained martyrdom while participating in counter-terrorist action at Samba, following the highest traditions of the Indian Army. Lt Col Bikramjit Singh displayed commitment beyond the call of duty, conspicuous courage, bravery and devotion to duty in the face of terrorist attack. On the day of the ill-fated incident, Lt Col Bikramjit Singh immediately reacted and reached the spot where the terrorists had entered the garrison and organised his men to counter the attack. In the ensuing fire fight, the officer was grievously injured and succumbed to the injuries," an army spokesman said here.

Singh's body was kept at the Western Command headquarters in Chandimandir cantonment, 10 km from here, after being flown in from Jammu Thursday evening.

Four soldiers, six policemen and two civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday in an audacious terror attack that also left three militants, presumably from Pakistan, dead.

The heavily-armed guerrillas first barged into a police station in Jammu region, where they killed eight people.

The guerrillas then escaped in a truck they hijacked, driving down the Pathankot-Jammu highway, and entered an army unit's Officers' Mess in Samba, some 35 km from Jammu, where they shot dead Singh and three soldiers.