A TODDLER, NEW HOUSE MOURN LOSS OF THEIR ANCHOR

DHARAMSHALA: Major Shikhar Thapa (29), killed after an army jawan posted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri sector on Tuesday pumped five bullets into him, belonged to the Dari locality of this town.

His family – they moved to a new house recently – saw him last three months ago after he came to celebrate the birth of his son.

He leaves behind father Arvind Thapa, 58, an ex-soldier, mother Poonam, 55, wife Suvidha Thapa, 29, and a three-and-half-month old son Suvir Thapa. His father retired as a teacher with the Himachal Pradesh education department in January. “He was at home for a month when his son was born in April,” Sarita Prasher, Major Thapa’s maternal aunt said, adding that he was full of life,

“Joining the army had been his passion since childhood,” she added. Major Thapa is a cousin of Maj Sahil Gautam, who won a Bronze medal in the second National Para Archery Championship, which is underway since July 16.