Biharsharif: Grief gripped Mokarampur village in Nalanda district as the mortal remains of Army junior commissioned officer (JCO) Suman Kumar Singh, also known as Pankaj Singh, reached his home late Friday night. His last rites were performed on Saturday.As the flag-draped vehicle carrying his body arrived, thousands of villagers gathered to pay their last respects. Slogans such as “Shaheed Suman Kumar Amar Rahein” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” echoed through the crowd, while many mourners broke down in tears.Singh, 45, was on active duty in Ladakh on March 26 when a massive avalanche struck his position, burying him under snow and ice. An Army rescue team later pulled him out of the debris and he was airlifted to the Army Hospital in Lucknow. Despite efforts by doctors, he died on March 27.The avalanche was part of a series of snow slides that hit the Srinagar-Leh National Highway and nearby areas on March 27, killing at least seven people and injuring several others. The Zoji La Pass region was among the worst affected areas.Singh is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. His elder daughter is studying in Class XII while the younger one is in Class X.A large number of people from Mokarampur and nearby villages gathered to pay tribute to the soldier. The last rites were performed with full state honours in the presence of senior Army and district officials.State minister for rural development Shrawan Kumar, district officials, MLAs and other local leaders were present on the occasion. The national flag draped over the coffin was later handed over to the grieving family.The family has a tradition of serving the nation. Singh was the elder of two brothers, while his younger brother is serving in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).His death has deepened the sense of loss in Nalanda district, which is mourning the death of another serviceman within two days. The body of merchant navy captain Rakesh Ranjan Singh had arrived in the district a day earlier. The captain had died after suffering a heart attack onboard the stranded vessel, ‘ASP Avana’, off the Strait of Hormuz. The crude oil vessel had been stranded in the Persian Gulf since Feb 28 after Iran shut down the strait following the conflict with the USA and Israel.
