 "An army officer paying tribute to the soldiers who were killed in Uri attack at a wreath laying ceremony in Jammu.")
Sepoy KV Janardhan on Monday succumbed to injuries sustained during Sunday morning's attack on an Indian Army camp near the border town of Uri in Jammu & Kashmir by suspected Pakistan-based terrorists, taking the number of martyrs to 18.
The attack has left the nation reeling, and the kin of the martyrs have called upon the government to avenge the loss of the 18 soldiers.
Across the country, families spread across states, from Maharashtra to Bihar, are just beginning to deal with the personal cost imposed by terrorism in the region.
The human cost
Janardhan, who joined the army in 2008, had got married just two years ago, reports the Indian Express. The report adds that he is survived by his 23-year-old wife, Sneha, a four-month-old daughter, his parents and a younger brother.
According to the report, Janardhan, who hailed from the Yavatmal district in Maharashtra, had been transferred to the Uri Camp just six months ago.
Lance Naik Rajesh Kumar Yadav's family lives in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. Rajesh was among the original 17 martyrs who gave their lives for the country in the pre-dawn Sunday attack.
The national daily reports that people from Rajesh's village and his family members took measures to ensure that the news of his demise did not reach Parvati Devi, his eight months pregnant wife, and his ailing mother, who suffers from a heart condition.
Rajesh's youngest brother, Vikesh Yadav, told the daily that despite all their attempts, some journalists were able to contact Parvati and tell her the grim news.
Rajesh, who had served in the army for 18 years and had just returned to duty from a two-month visit home, is survived by his wife, mother, three brothers, eight-year-old daughter Radhika, and two-year-old daughter Preeti, the report added.
Resolve not blunted
Ten-year-old Vansh, eldest son of martyr Havildar Ravi Paul Salotra, knows the nature of his father's demise and is committed to following in his footsteps and joining the army.
Ravi Paul, who hailed from the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, belonged to the 10 Dogra Regiment, and he was one of the 18 brave soldiers who lost their lives while fighting the four terrorists who attacked the Army Brigade Headquarters in Uri.
He had served in the army for 23 years.
Besides Vansh, 42-year-old Ravi Paul is survived by his wife Geeta Rani and another son Sudansheesh (7) and an 80-year-old mother.
In Bihar, another family is facing the same hardship.
Hawaldar Ashok Kumar Singh hailed from Bhojpur district in Bihar and his widow, Sangita, told the Times of India that the country must avenge the cowardly attack.
Eighty-year-old Jaynarayan Singh, Ashok's father, however is no stranger to having lost a son in service to the country, the report adds.
Kamta Singh, Ashok's elder brother, was also a soldier, who was killed in Rajastan in 1986 during the height of Sikh militancy, the report said. He was only in his early twenties at the time of his demise.
However, Ashok's family is not done yet in its service to the country. According to the national daily, Ashok's elder son, Vishal, is also serving in the army.
