Gold medallist shooting star among those martyred in attack

GURDASPUR/NEW DELHI: Capt Fateh Singh, who was among those who were martyred while fighting terrorists in Pathankot on Friday night, was an international shooter.

He had clinched gold and silver in the 300m big bore team and individual events during the first Commonwealth Shooting Championship held in New Delhi in 1995. He was a regular feature in the domestic circuit for many years.

Former chief coach of Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) Col MS Chauhan said, “Being the chief coach of the AMU, I got an opportunity to see him from close quarters. Fateh has not only been ace big bore shooter but was a dedicated, brave and daring soldier of the Dogra Regiment.”

Fateh was among the two Defence Security Corps personnel to be killed, with the other being Havildar Kulwant Singh.

An IAF official was killed, and his identity was yet to be released at the time of going to print. The DSC is a special unit that provides security at defence ministry sites. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Defence Security Corps (DSC) also provide security at Indian Ordnance Factories, nuclear laboratories and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) establishments.

Capt Fateh Singh, who had retired from the 15 Dogra Regiment, joined the DSC a few years ago. Kulwant Singh, who retired from the army in 2004, is survived by his mother Swarn Kaur, wife Harbhajan Kaur and two sons — Surinder Singh and Gursharan Singh. Kulwant joined the DSC in 2006 and was transferred from Orissa to Pathankot two months ago He had returned to duty after