Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, a junior commissioned officer (JCO) in the Indian Army’s elite 2 Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), was killed in action on Sunday during an intense encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. Hailing from Barnog village in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, Kumar’s family shared that he had aspired to rebuild their ten-room family house, damaged in last year’s monsoon, upon his return.
Kumar’s brother, Karam Singh, revealed that the soldier had been living with his family in a rented house following the monsoon damage. “Rakesh, who visited us on leave just a month and a half ago, had promised to start the house’s reconstruction in January,” Karam Singh told PTI.
Naib Subedar Kumar is survived by his wife Bhanupriya, a daughter, Yashshwini (13), a son, Pranav (7), and his 90-year-old mother, Bhati Devi. His remains were flown to Mandi on Monday evening; however, due to darkness, the family deferred his last rites to Tuesday, with his body being kept at the mortuary of Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College overnight.
Expressing grief, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated, “The nation will forever honour the ultimate sacrifice of this brave soldier,” while Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri added, “The nation and the state are indebted for his selfless and supreme sacrifice.”
As his family, village, and the state of Himachal Pradesh prepare to bid farewell to Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, the bravery and commitment he displayed in service to the nation remain an enduring testament to his sacrifice.
Sources By Agencies