Bharatpur soldier who died in Kupwara grenade attack cremated
BHARATPUR: Mortal remains of Saurabh Katara, an army soldier from Bharat who died in the line of duty in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, were cremated at his native Baroli Brahmin village under Rupwas police station area with army and state honours on Thursday.
Saurabh’s younger brother Anup Katara lit the pyre.
Saurabh, 22, had died, along with another soldier, after their vehicle caught fire in a grenade att ack i n Kupwara t own of Jammu and Kashmir on December 23.
Earlier, thousands of people gathered at the village to pay l ast r espect t o t he s ol di er. Among them were tourism minister Vishvendra Singh, Bharatpur district collector Nathmal Didel, superintendent of police
Haider Ali Zaidi, district BJP president Dr Shailesh Singh and BJP MP from Bharatpur Ranjita Koli.
Saurabh had joined the army with the 200 Field Regiment on January 1, 2016, but was currently deployed with the 28 Rashtriya Rifle in Kupwara town as a driver.
He had visited the village last time on November 20 to attend his sister’s wedding, following which he also got married to Poonam Devi of Rasoolpur village in Mathura on December 8, along with his elder brother Gaurav Katara.
He had returned to duty on December 16.
His father Naresh Katara had participated in the Kagril war of 1999 and retired in 2001. “I am proud of my son. He sacrificed his life for the nation. I am ready to send my another son in army to serve the nation,” he said.