Major Chitresh Bisht, who was killed while defusing a landmine along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, 16 February, was all set to get married next month.
Major Bisht was leading a bomb disposal squad team for sanitisation when mines were detected on the track in Naushera sector on Saturday. The team defused one of the mines successfully but while neutralising another mine, the device got activated and the officer suffered fatal injuries.
As the news of Major Bisht's death spread on Saturday night, scores of relatives and acquaintances visited his house in Nehru Colony to express condolences.
Major Bisht’s marriage had been finalised and he was to come home on 28 February, sources close to the family said. The wedding was due on 7 March.
Speaking to NDTV, Major Bisht’s father SS Bisht said, “What an irony, he was supposed to come home for the wedding. Now we are waiting for his body.”
Major Bisht's father is a retired policeman and his mother a homemaker. The family hails from Ranikhet in Almora district.
Major Bisht Laid to Rest With Full Honours
Major Bisht’s mortal remains were brought to Dehradun on Sunday, 17 February.
The last rites of the Major were performed with full military honours in Haridwar on Monday.
Remembering his son, Major Bisht’s father told Hindustan Times, “Fearing for his safety, his mother and I had asked him to make some excuse and not take the posting as he was going to marry soon. But he refused and said he will take the posting.”
A defence spokesman said Bisht was leading a bomb disposal squad and the team had defused one of the mines successfully but while neutralising another mine, the device was activated and the officer suffered fatal injuries.
Another solider was injured in the blast and was admitted to a hospital, the officials said.
"The officer was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the spokesman said.
Earlier, the officials said the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and was apparently planted by "enemy forces within Indian territory".
(With inputs from PTI, NDTV and Hindustan Times)
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