Army jawan, killed in mine blast, cremated with full state honours in native village

The body of Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya, who was killed in a mine blast in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with full state honours near his native village of Ghumarwin in Hamirpur on Sunday morning.

Amid slogans of 'Shaheed Kamal Dev amar rahe' and 'Pakistan ho barbad', the soldier's cousin Bobby Vaidya lit the pyre after a final salute to the mortal remains.

According to locals, Sepoy Vaidya (27) was popular among the local residents as well as his own Army battalion for singing 'Pahari' songs. His songs were also found on YouTube and people used to relish them, they said.

Sources said Vaidya was supposed to get married in October later in the year in a village in Bilaspur. He was recruited to the Indian Army five years ago.

Earlier, the soldier's body was brought in an Army vehicle to the village where it was kept for the locals to pay their last respects.

As the body reached home, Sepoy Vaidya's parents and the rest of the extended family wept bitterly and hit out at Pakistan for their son's death. Heartfelt scenes were witnessed at his house when local women were consoling the bereaved family.

Deputy Commissioner Debasweta Banik and Hamirpur SP Gokulchandran Karthikeyan paid their respect to the soldier's body. They also consoled the bereaved family and assured them that all facilities would be made available to them from the government.

Local MLA Kamlesh Kumari and leaders and workers of both BJP and Congress parties were present in the house and paid their respects.