Martyr gets a tearful send-off

He was a born soldier. Half his life he wore the uniform. On Wednesday, he attained martyrdom leading from the front at the age of 34 after serving the mother nation for a little over 10 years.

Joining Indian Army was his childhood dream. He slogged before earning his olives in September 1999. And when the gallant soldier, Major Akash Singh Sambayal of 5 Maratha Light Infantry, embarked on his final journey he was accorded a tearful adieu by a large number of people from different walks of life.

The last rites were performed with full military honours. Several senior Army officers of the Northern command including GoC 16 corps Lt Gen RK Swamy paid tributes to the brave soldier.

Major Akash is survived by his wife Deepti Sambayal and two children Khusi (3) and Tejas (2). As close relatives and family friends started assembling in the house of Major Akash, his daughter greeted them with an innocent smile on her face. She was repeatedly heard telling few close relatives that his father has killed few ‘bad men’ in Poonch and he is undergoing treatment in a hospital. “Papa is going to come home soon,”she kept saying without realising that her father had arrived draped in Indian Tricolor and was readied for final rites. Akash had recently joined duty after a long holiday with family in Jammu.

Ironically, none of the Ministers or representative of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah could spare time to attend the cremation ceremony of son of the soil or consoled family members of the brave soldier.

Politicians in Jammu & Kashmir, otherwise, frequently visit families of militants and attend funeral processions and sympathise with them by extending healing touch and fat compensation cheques.

Barring lone BJP legislator Chaman Lal Gupta and veteran Congress leader Mangat Ram Sharma, none of Ministers of Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet or senior officer of the Jammu district attended the cremation. SSP Jammu and SP Headquarters and few other policemen paid their tributes and attended the cremation ceremony.

Major Akash attained martyrdom in the wee hours of Wednesday when a group of heavily armed militants made an attempt to infiltrate inside the Indian territory in Mendhar sector of frontier Poonch district.

Before making the supreme sacrifice Major Akash gunned down two militants while leading the attack from the front. He received bullet injuries on the side of his abdomen while he was tracking down another militant.

“The brave officer singlehandedly killed two militants and foiled an infiltration bid by a group of heavily armed militants in Sunegali area of Medhar sector in frontier Poonch district in the wee hours of Wednesday. We have lost a very gallant soldier,” Brigadier Akhil Dixit of 16 corps headquarter said after paying tributes to the martyr at the Shantighat cremation ground.

His school time friend Avdesh Raina paid silent homage to his soul mate by narrating interesting stories highlighting the personality of the brave officer.