Shocked villagers mourn as 2 beheaded Indian soldiers bodies' return in coffins

A pall of gloom descended today on the two villages in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh from where the two soldiers brutally killed in an attack by Pakistani soldiers hailed – both the soldiers were decapitated with one head being taken away.

Wrapped in tri-colour, the caskets containing the bodies of Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh were brought to their villages, a day after the soldiers were killed and their bodies mutilated at a forward post in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir that has triggered an outrage.

Hemraj (29) hailed from Shernagar village in Mathura district in UP while Singh (28) came from Darhia village near Churhat in Sidhi district in neighbouring MP. The jawans belonged to 13 Rajputana Rifles.

The grieving family of Hemraj at Shernagar village were being consoled by relatives amid shouts of "Hemraj amar rahey".

"We are proud of the son of our village. We are united at this moment of grief," said Hemraj's uncle outside the home of the soldier. He said Hemraj laid down his life in service of the nation.

Singh is survived by a grieving wife Durga Singh and a four-month-old son who may never remember he ever saw his father. He had joined the Indian Army in 2002.

The caskets containing the bodies were first brought to Rajouri from the forward post in Poonch district before being taken in a helicopter to Jammu technical airport. They were then brought to Delhi for the onward journey to the two villages.

Amid a sombre mood, a wreath laying ceremony was held with full military honours at Rajouri airstrip, where Deputy General Officer Commanding (Dy-GOC), Brig J C Tiwari laid the wreaths on the bodies of the jawans.

Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Ajay Singh, an MLA from Churhat, said it was very sad that a valiant soldier had lost his life at the hands of Pakistani military men, who committed a brutal act. The whole of MP mourns the loss, he said.

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