Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib lost 2 jawans in Leh mishap

Tribune Reporters

faridkot/Fatehgarh Sahib, August 20

Naib Subedar Ramesh Lal (39), who hailed from Sarsiri village in Faridkot district, and 23-year-old Tarandeep Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib were among the nine soldiers who died in an accident in Leh district of Ladakh yesterday.

The accident had occurred after their vehicle skidded off the road near Kiari in Leh, said Kishan Lal, a brother of the deceased soldier.

Leaving behind two children and wife, Ramesh Kumar was among 10 personnel travelling in the vehicle out of whom nine were killed and one was injured, said Kishan Lal, who had himself served in the Army.

He said his brother had shifted his family to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand sometime ago. The body of the deceased would be brought to Sarsiri village where he would be cremated, he said.

The death of Tarandeep has sent shockwaves in his native village of Kamali in the Bassi Pathana subdivision of Fatehgarh Sahib here.

Talking to The Tribune, his father Kewal Singh, a small farmer who cultivates 3.5 acres of land, said initially, only he knew about the tragedy and the rest of the family and villagers were unaware of it.

He added that Tarandeep, who was his only son, was recruited in the Army in December 2018 and was yet to be married. Kewal said he also had a daughter who taught at a private school.

“He had talked to his mother over the phone only two days ago and had said he would get his sister married during his next visit in December,” the father said. He added that Tarandeep was the primary breadwinner for the family.

As mediapersons started reaching the village as news of Tarandeep’s death spread, villagers started thronging the house of the martyr. Palwinder Kaur, the mother of the deceased, and sister remained inconsolable.