On Tuesday, Barnog, a serene village in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, fell into mourning as the mortal remains of Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army’s 2 Para, returned home for his final rites. Kumar, a valiant soldier, was killed in action during a fierce encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday.
Rakesh Kumar’s untimely death has left his family devastated. His brother, Karam Singh, shared the pain of losing the beloved soldier, revealing that Rakesh had been planning to rebuild their monsoon-damaged home. The family had been living in a rented house after their ten-room home was severely damaged in last year’s floods. Rakesh, who had come on leave just a month and a half ago, had promised to start the construction of their new home in January.
The late JCO leaves behind his wife, Bhanupriya, their two young children – daughter Yashshwini (13) and son Pranav (7) – and his elderly mother, Bhati Devi, who is 90 years old. Rakesh’s tragic death has cast a shadow over his village, with the entire community mourning the loss of a valiant son.
On Monday afternoon, a special Army helicopter transported Rakesh Kumar’s mortal remains, landing at Kangni helipad.
From there, the authorities transported the remains to Ner Chowk Medical College before taking them to his native village for the final journey. The entire village gathered to honor him as his body made its way home.
Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar, a courageous soldier in the elite 2 Para unit of the Indian Army, gave his life during an operation targeting terrorists responsible for abducting and killing two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in Kishtwar. The operation, which involved a large-scale combing effort by security forces, also led to injuries for three other soldiers.
The terrorist group, Kashmir Tigers – an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) – later claimed responsibility for the attack on the VDGs. The killings in Kishtwar prompted heightened security operations across the region. This year alone, there have been multiple attacks in Jammu, which have claimed the lives of 16 security personnel, 10 civilians, and three VDGs. Security forces, however, have successfully neutralized 13 terrorists in the region, with the ongoing counterinsurgency operations intensifying.
In Kashmir, where Rakesh Kumar made the ultimate sacrifice, terror-related incidents have claimed the lives of nine security personnel and 15 civilians this year. However, security forces have eliminated 24 terrorists during the same period.
The grief-stricken family of Rakesh Kumar, and the people of Barnog, will forever remember his bravery and selflessness in the line of duty. His sacrifice is a testament to the courage and commitment of India’s armed forces in the face of adversity
(By Ankita Singh, Web Team at C6N)
 of the Indian Army's 2 Para, returned home for his final rites.){kind=link}