Harjinder Kaur (55) mother of Lance Naik Kulwant Singh (32) is surrounded by villagers and relatives who have come to pay last respects to her son at their home in Charik village in Punjab's Moga district. One of the five jawans who was martyred after an army vehicle was ambushed in J&K's Poonch on 20 April, Kulwant was married just three years ago to Hardeep Kaur. Harjinder describes her son as a doting father of two children - daughter Armandeep (1) and a five-month-old son Fatehveer.
Kulwant Singh's children Armandeep (1) and a five-month-old son Fatehveer.
(Photo: The Quint)
However, this is not the first time Harjinder is waiting to receive a loved one wrapped in the national flag. About 31 years ago, her first husband Baldev Singh was martyred at around the same age while being on duty in Kargil. Kulwant was 1.5 years old then. The entire village knew Kulwant as 'shaheed ka beta'.
"He spent his holidays here last month. He left on 1 April after spending a few days here," the mother says, remembering the last time she saw her son.
Kulwant Singh's mother Harjinder Kaur (right).
(Photo: The Quint)
The family did not know of the attack or about Kulwant's martyrdom till 6:00 am the next day. After the Army failed to establish contact with the family, an official got in touch with former army jawan Naib Singh (56) from the village.
"I got a call around 5:00 pm. The Army was trying to trace the family. They sent me the Aadhaar card and other personal details of him. There are two Whatsapp groups that the village has, so I put the details on those groups at around 10:00 pm in the night. The family came to know only at 6:00 am the next day," he said.
'Kulwant Singh was Building a New Home For the Family'
After her first husband was martyred, she got remarried to Mandar Singh and had two children with him.
"He was constructing a new home in Moga city. He discussed how he was coordinating for the construction. He wanted his family to move there in the next few months," Naib Singh said.
Family members console Kulwant Singh's wife Hardeep Kaur.
(Photo: The Quint)
"The village is saddened by Kulwant's demise, but we are also proud that he died a martyr just like his father. Both sacrificed themseves for this country. It's heartbreaking that he has left behind his family," Naib Singh said, remembering Kulwant as a "cultured and traditional boy."Kulwant was identified from the PAN card found in his pocket after the attack, the Army told Naib Singh over the phone.
Kulwant Singh completed 14 years in the Army before being killed on Thursday.
The Attack that Destroyed Five Families
Kulwant Singh, along with Havaldar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Harkrishan Singh, Sepoy Sewak Singh, and Lance Naik Debashish Biswal were martyred after the army vehicle they were travelling in was attacked and caught fire due to the grenades hurled at it by terrorists "who took advantage of rains and low visibility," the Army said in a statement.
While Mandeep Singh is survived by his wife Jagdeep and two children Khushdeep (11) and Karandeep (9); Harkrishan's wife Daljeet (25) is pregnant with their second child. Biswal leaves behind a four-month-old daughter and wife Sushree Sangeetha.
Mandeep Singh, Harkrishan Singh, Sewak Singh, and Kulwant Singh were from Punjab, and Debashish Biswal was from Odisha.
The five were on duty to get essentials when the vehicle was fired at by terrorists and grenades were reportedly hurled at it setting it ablaze.
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