8-year-old daughter lights slain Army officer's funeral pyre

RANCHI: The mortal remains of Lt Col Sankalp Kumar of 24 Punjab Regiment, killed on Friday morning in a fidayeen attack by Pakistani militants at 32-Field Regiment in Uri sector in north Kashmir, were cremated with full military honors at Harmoo Mukti Dham at his hometown here on Sunday.

His 8-year-old daughter, Sara lit the funeral pyre amid bouts of cries at the emotionally charged ceremony with mother to her side. "Why did he leave us," the girl asked her mother.

The only son of his Ranchi-based parents, 35-year-old Kumar is survived by his parents, two little daughters and wife.

"It's too soon for him to come here. He can not come here so soon. It is not possible," Priya Kumari, the widow of Sankalp Kumar, said as she entered Mukti Dham with the funeral procession.

A group of Army officers encircled her and expressed condolences. "You should take care of the little girls," Col Sanjeev Tushir told her.

"He did not tell me how to take care of the girls," she replied with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Bye Sankalp, Bye forever," she said as flames rose from his pyre.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, minister of state Jayant Sinha, Jharkhand governor Syed Ahmad, chief minister Hemant Soren, former chief minister Arjun Munda, major general (Ranchi) Rajiv Edward and other people placed floral wreaths to honour of the slain officer. "The officer has made a supreme sacrifice. Everyone will remember it forever," said Edward.

Kumar studied till XII at Ranchi's St John's School and graduated from St Xavier's College, Ranchi before qualifying Combined Defence Services in 1999. A family member, Vipul Shukla, said: "He was to be promoted to the rank of colonel on December 12. The entire family is in utter shock."

At different places along the road from his house to the burning ghat, a distance of around 10km, people lined up to pay floral tributes. A friend of Sankalp Kumar said: "We grew up playing together. It is an honour that he has laid down his life for the nation. We are proud of him."

At the burning ghat, several local youth who gathered to witness the ceremony shouted 'Pakistan Murdabad', 'Pakistan Murdabad'.

http://ift.tt/1lfaLtV Col Sankalp Kumar,J&K terror attack,24 Punjab Regiment

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