A 33-year-old soldier from Punjab, Naik Sikander Singh of the Indian Army's 5 Sikh Light Infantry, suffered a fatal heart attack while on duty in Delhi. He was cremated with full military honours on Friday in his native Gagra village near Jagraon in Ludhiana district.
Family breaks down as the body reaches home
Sikander Singh's body, wrapped in the tricolour, arrived at Gagra village on Friday morning. As soon as it reached, his wife, his two young daughters and other relatives broke down in tears. A large number of people from the village and nearby areas gathered to bid him a tearful farewell. An army contingent fired a gun salute, and the funeral was carried out with complete military honours. His brother lit the funeral pyre.
From a labourer's household to the army
Sikander Singh had enlisted in the Indian Army roughly 16 years ago, coming from an ordinary labourer family. As the eldest of three brothers, he took on family responsibilities from a young age. He got married about five years ago. His hard work and discipline had earned him a strong reputation within the army. He is survived by his wife, Ramanjeet Kaur, and two daughters aged two and a half years and eight months.
Wife Ramanjeet Kaur recounts his final call
Ramanjeet Kaur said her last phone conversation with her husband took place four days before his death. During that call, Sikander Singh told her he was in severe chest pain and could barely speak. His condition deteriorated so quickly after that he could not even speak to his daughters again. Ramanjeet Kaur said that after their marriage, it was Sikander Singh who encouraged and supported her through her M.A. and B.Ed. degrees, always pushing her to keep moving forward. Following his death, she appealed to the government to ensure security and financial support for their daughters' future.
Fellow soldiers pay their respects
The cremation was completed around 10 am on Friday, leaving the entire area in mourning. Captain Pooran Singh and Havildar Amarpal Singh were among those who reached the spot to pay tribute to Sikander Singh. He was known in the army for his hard work and discipline, which is why news of his death has left fellow soldiers saddened as well.
Unit commander says real cause awaits post mortem report
Subedar Gurmeet Singh of the 5 Sikh Regiment said Lance Naik Sikander Singh was part of his unit, but at the time of the incident he was posted on duty at a separate location away from the unit. He said the unit had no information about any illness Sikander Singh may have had. It also remains unclear whether he had spoken to his family about his health before his death. According to Subedar Gurmeet Singh, Sikander Singh had not shared anything about his condition with anyone at his place of posting either. For now, the death is being attributed to a heart attack, but the exact cause will only be confirmed once the post mortem report is available. He assured that the army would always extend every possible support to Sikander Singh's family, and that, like other families of soldiers who died in service, their concerns would be heard and addressed.
