Martyred soldier’s wife delivers baby hours before his cremation
JAMMU : A day after soldier Ranjeet Singh Bhutyal was killed in an attack by Pakistani intruders near the Line of Control (LoC) in Sundarbani sector of Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri district, his wife Shimpu Devi delivered a baby girl
The fallen soldier was planning to take a leave to be with his wife who was expecting a baby anytime.
Married in 2011, the couple had waited for 10 years for the birth of their first child.
The Tricolour-draped coffin carrying the body of the 36-yearold soldier reached his Suligam village on Monday after a wreath laying ceremony at Akhnoor Garrison.
The cremation could not take place on Monday and the family decided to perform the last rites on Tuesday morning.
However, his pregnant wife Shimpu Devi developed labour pain at around midnight and was admitted to Ramban hospital where she delivered the baby girl at around at 4.15 am.
In a state of shock, the sol- dier’s wife along with the newborn was taken to the cremation ground at Seri Ghat in the afternoon to bid a tearful adieu to her husband.
The mortal remains of the soldier were cremated with full military honours. “The daughter I have given birth today is the nation's daughter and I wish she becomes an army officer” she said. The soldier’s wife said she want her daughter to be looked after by the army.
The soldier is survived by his parents.