The Punjab government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh and a government job for each for the families of the three soldiers from the state killed in the Poonch encounter, including Sepoy Gajjan Singh of Ropar.
In 2006, Naib Subedar Jaswinder Singh had been awarded the Sena Medal for his role in killing three terrorists in Kashmir. On Monday, days away from a ceremony to be held for his late father, the 39-year-old fell to militant bullets in Poonch.
Family members said the last time they spoke, on Saturday night, Jaswinder had enquired about the date being set for the ceremony, and insisted on talking to everyone. Survived by his wife Sukhpreet Kaur (35), son Vikrajit Singh (13), daughter Harnoor Kaur (11) and mother (65), Jaswinder belonged to Mana Talwandi village in Punjab’s Kapurthala district.
Jaswinder’s father Harbhajan Singh also served in the Army, retiring as Capt (Honorary). Elder brother Rajinder Singh, who retired from the force in 2015, said Jaswinder joined in 2001, just after Class 12. The youngest of three siblings, Jaswinder was last home in May, when his father died, and was to come for the ceremony, scheduled tentatively for November 1-2.
The family that jointly owns around 6 acres of land is close-knit, with the brothers staying together.
