Pak troops suffer 'heavy casualties' amid truce violation in Poonch, say officials

Capt Karamjit Singh Bakshi of Ranchi, Naik Mukesh Manhas of Samba were killed in IED blast

- Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

JAMMU: In a tragic coincidence, the weddings of the two soldiers, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu on Tuesday, were slated in April.

Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi of Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas of Uttervehini in Samba district of Jammu region, were killed while they were on fence patrol duty when an improvised explosive device (IED), suspected to have been planted by Pakistani terrorists, went off along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhattal area of the Akhnoor sector at 3.50pm on Tuesday. This was the third incident of cross-border action by terrorists in Jammu region in four days.

Captain Bakshi was to get married to a doctor from the Army Medical Corps on April 18. Family sources said the lady doctor belongs to Sainik Colony in Jammu.

Naik Manhas, 29, was also set to tie the knot with a woman from Sathraian village of RS Pura in Jammu district.

His father, Shakatar Singh Manhas, a retired police sub inspector, said, "On Tuesday, we had organised a Mata Ka Jagran (prayer ceremony) but couldn't talk to our son."

He said that Mukesh was home for a fortnight in January for the engagement. "He resumed duty on January 28 after the 15-day leave during which he got engaged. He was constructing a house and would call us over the phone enquiring about the progress," the distraught father said.

Father calls for strong action

The father called for strong action against the terrorists and those orchestrating such attacks. "IED blasts are happening frequently and vehicles of security personnel are being targeted by terrorists. It is high time we take strong action," he said.

Mukhtar Singh, a former sarpanch of Kamila village in Uttervehini, said, "Youngsters of the village looked up to Mukesh. He encouraged them to channel their energy positively by taking up sports. He even gave them volleyball and cricket kits."