Slain Assam Rifles soldier laid to rest in Poonch

Kohima: Havildar Mohd Iqbal returned home in a casket. The Assam Rifles soldier died while on duty in Nagaland. His remains reached Kallar Mohra in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on July 15. The military gave him full honours. Soldiers, kin, and neighbors gathered at his home to say goodbye.

His son, Fasal Iqbal, stood before the crowd. He spoke about the loss of his father. "We feel proud that he made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. I feel good knowing he did something truly right for the country and made that sacrifice. It is a matter of pride for all of us," he said. Fasal is determined to join the armed forces. He wants to serve the country and take revenge on the enemies.

The Assam Rifles also remembered another fallen soldier. They held a wreath-laying ceremony at the Radhanagar Battalion in Tripura for Rifleman Govind Singh. Singh died in action on July 10, 1996, during a counter-insurgency mission in Jammu and Kashmir. Officers laid wreaths and troops held two minutes of silence. The unit stated the event proved their dedication to all who died for India.