Agniveer killed in J&K blast | His mother a domestic help, father a labourer: ‘Our son’s sacrifice deserves equal respect, dignity’

Ajay was the only brother to six sisters, including two who are unmarried. The family lives in a one-room house in the village and does not own any agricultural land. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ajay’s father Charanjit Singh Kala (58) said that his son’s sacrifice deserves the respect and dignity that is given to other soldiers who die for the country. “Ohnu vi shaheed da darja milna chahida hai (He also deserves the status of a martyr). We are proud of his sacrifice for the country but his death deserves respect and dignity given to other soldiers who are not Agniveers,” said the grieving father.

Ajay joined the Army as an Agniveer in 2022, driven by both personal ambition and the family’s economic constraints.

He further said that the family’s financial condition was so bad that even after Ajay was enrolled as Agniveer in 2022, his mother continued to work as domestic help in others’ homes to run the household. “I worked for a labourer all my life. After I started keeping unwell, Ajay’s mother started working in others’ homes to cook and clean so that we could have two meals a day,” said the father.

He said it was both “Ajay’s dream” and “family’s financial compulsions” due to which his son had decided to join the Army. “He knew that Agniveers won’t get benefits like other soldiers but still he joined so that the family’s condition may improve. We had also taken some loan for the marriage of my four daughters. After clearing Class 12 from a government school, he had also worked as a construction labourer for sometime but as soon as Agniveer vacancies opened, he applied for it. He said it was his dream to experience being an Armyman even if for four years,” said the father.

The family had last spoken to Ajay on Thursday and he was hopeful of coming on leave in February.

Balwinder Singh, Ajay’s paternal uncle said that it would be grave injustice with the family if the Centre fails to do anything for them as they have lost their only son for the country. “This family’s financial condition is so bad that it is even difficult to explain in words. Their only hope was their son who is gone too. We hope that the Punjab government will give them their due Rs 1 crore compensation as per their policy and Centre too would reconsider their decision and give due benefits to families of deceased Agniveers. They have lost their every thing”.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday expressed grief over the death of Ajay Singh. In a statement, he said, “Agniveer Ajay Singh, who hailed from village Ramgarh Sardaran near Khanna (Ludhiana), attained martyrdom in a landmine blast”.

The brave jawan laid down his life while performing his duty valiantly, Mann said, adding the Punjab government is with his family at this tragic hour.

Monetary assistance will be extended to the bereaved family according to the policy of the state government, he said.

The security personnel was killed and another two suffered injuries in a landmine blast near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Thursday. The troops were patrolling the forward area in the Nowshera sector when the explosion occurred.