BSF jawan dies in Pak firing, mother says she ‘won’t cry’

BSF jawan Gurnam Singh who was injured in Saturday’s attack by Pakistani forces on the international border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night.

Twenty-six-year-old Singh, who was undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital here, died at around 11.45 pm, the police said.

As the body of the BSF brave heart arrived at his home wrapped in the tricolour, his mother Jaswant Kaur kept the promise made to her son that she would not cry over his martyrdom.

A pall of gloom descended on Gurnam’s native village Bhalesar Magowali in R.S. Pura tehsil, which is close to the Indo-Pakistan border as the body of the jawan arrived.

Holding back her tears, Gurnam’s mother said, “I will not cry. I have promised this to my son. Gurnam once said mummy, don’t cry if I sacrifice my life for the nation. I said I won’t... He made us proud. We are proud of his martyrdom.”

As the news of his death spread on Saturday night, people thronged his house and raised slogans such as “Gurnam Amar Rahe.”

The family is proud of the sacrifice made by the 26-year-old in the line of duty but demanded a specialised hospital in his name for the border guards and troops injured on IB and Line of Control to help save their lives. The jawan’s father also asked the Prime Minister to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.

He was injured in a sniper attack from the Pakistani side and was instrumental in foiling a major infiltration bid along the international border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Seven personnel of Pakistani Rangers, the border force of Pakistan, and a terrorist were killed when the BSF retaliated against a ceasefire violation in which Gurnam was injured.