In New Tehri, Rifleman Adarsh Negi had spoken to his father over the phone on Sunday. The next day, Dalbir Singh Negi received another call, informing him about the death of his son in the terror attack in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.
The phone call on Monday afternoon left the family in Thati Dagar village in Uttarakhand's Tehri district in a state of shock and despair.
Adarsh Negi (25), son of a farmer, was the youngest of the three brothers. He had left his university studies halfway to fulfill his dream of serving the country through the army.
He was among five soldiers from Uttarakhand who were killed in a terror attack on an army convoy in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday. It was the fifth terror attack in the Jammu region in a month.
Dalbir Singh Negi said his son studied up to class 12 at Government Inter College in Piplidhar and then joined Garhwal University to pursue a bachelor's degree. He left his studies to join the Garhwal Rifles, he said.
"I last spoke to him on July 7 over the phone. He returned home in February and returned on March 26 to join the service," said Dalbir Singh Negi, fighting back tears.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cabinet ministers Premchand Aggarwal and Ganesh Joshi placed wreaths on the coffins of the five martyrs while their mortal remains were taken to the Jolly Grant airport.
"Five brave soldiers of Uttarakhand achieved martyrdom during the cowardly terror attack in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. This is a moment of great pain for all of us," Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in a statement.
"Our brave men made the supreme sacrifice for their motherland in accordance with the rich military tradition of Uttarakhand," he said, adding that their "sacrifice will not be in vain."
The terrorists, enemies of humanity and guilty of this cowardly attack, will not be forgiven at any cost, he said, adding that the people who protected them will also have to face the consequences.
He said the entire state stands with their families in this time of grief.
The phone call on Monday afternoon left the family in Thati Dagar village in Uttarakhand's Tehri district in a state of shock and despair.
Adarsh Negi (25), son of a farmer, was the youngest of the three brothers. He had left his university studies halfway to fulfill his dream of serving the country through the army.
He was among five soldiers from Uttarakhand who were killed in a terror attack on an army convoy in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday. It was the fifth terror attack in the Jammu region in a month.
Dalbir Singh Negi said his son studied up to class 12 at Government Inter College in Piplidhar and then joined Garhwal University to pursue a bachelor's degree. He left his studies to join the Garhwal Rifles, he said.
"I last spoke to him on July 7 over the phone. He returned home in February and returned on March 26 to join the service," said Dalbir Singh Negi, fighting back tears.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cabinet ministers Premchand Aggarwal and Ganesh Joshi placed wreaths on the coffins of the five martyrs while their mortal remains were taken to the Jolly Grant airport.
"Five brave soldiers of Uttarakhand achieved martyrdom during the cowardly terror attack in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. This is a moment of great pain for all of us," Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in a statement.
"Our brave men made the supreme sacrifice for their motherland in accordance with the rich military tradition of Uttarakhand," he said, adding that their "sacrifice will not be in vain."
The terrorists, enemies of humanity and guilty of this cowardly attack, will not be forgiven at any cost, he said, adding that the people who protected them will also have to face the consequences.
He said the entire state stands with their families in this time of grief.
