"Will come home after lockdown": Soldier killed in Ladakh clash told his family
New Delhi : A few days ago family enquired about his return to home, he answered – will come after lockdown? No one mentioned he will return wrapped in tricolour.
Naik Deepak Kumar Singh, who got married seven months back, was among the 20 soldiers who sacrificed their lives to keep Indian border safe from Chinese army. In a violent clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley, one colonel has also lost his life.
"I will come home on leave after the lockdown ends," the 30-year-old, a Naik in the Indian Army, told his grandmother Phool Kumari a few days ago.
As family received the news of his death, they plunged into grief.
"I spoke to him just a few days back and at that time he told me that after the lockdown ends, he will take leave and come home. But after the lockdown ended, we got the news of his death," Deepak Singh's 85-year-old inconsolable grandmother told PTI on Wednesday.
Phool Kumari informed that Deepak Singh's mother passed away several years ago and since then she has been taking care of him.
"He was a very loving person and used to respect everyone in the house. Everybody used to like him a lot," she said, fighting back tears.
Deepak Kumar had tied knot on November 30, 2019, and his wife, Rekha Singh, works at the Navodaya Residential School in Madhya Pradesh's Sirmaur, family sources said.
"Army officials informed us about his death around 8 AM on Wednesday and since then a pall of gloom has descended on the entire village," his family said.
"The Army officials told us that his body would reach the village by Thursday," Phool Kumari said.