Jammu: Emotions ran high when the body of Havildar Neelam Singh, who was among the five soldiers killed in an encounter in Rajouri, reached his native village of Dalpat in Akhnoor, Jammu district, on Saturday.The five soldiers were killed when a group of terrorists triggered an explosion in the Kandi area of Rajouri on Friday.

Singh’s children — 10-year-old daughter Pawana and six-year-old son Ankit — were inconsolable when they saw the Tricolour-wrapped coffin of their father. Thousands of people gathered near the cavalcade, which brought the body, and raised slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Neelam Singh Amar Rahe”.

Vandana Singh, Singh’s wife, stood in shock. Tears rolled down her eyes seeing the body of her husband.The mortal remains were brought in a cavalcade from the Indian Air Force station in Jammu, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, among other top Army, police and administration officials, paid homage to the slain soldier at a wreath-laying ceremony.

A distraught Pawana, who was unable to control her emotions, asked her relatives to bring her father back. “Papa ko kya hua (What has happened to papa)?” she said as she touched the face and hands of her father. Singh’s father Gurdev Singh said he was proud of his son, who gave his life for the country. He said his son always wanted to join the armed forces.

The soldier’s father-in-law Captain Raghvir Singh Bhau (retd) echoed Gurdev’s sentiments. “He was brave and never feared anything. He was part of dozens of successful operations in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir. He brought laurels to the para unit and the Army,” he said.

Singh was cremated in Akhnoor in the presence of his family, senior officials of the administration and locals with full military honours. His brother and CISF jawan, Angad Singh, lit the pyre amid chants of “Jai Shaheed, Jai Army, Jai Hind”.