‘Had tears in my eyes’: Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack
These were soldiers from Punjab’s Grenadiers unit. They had served with her father Suresh Singh Bhati, who was martyred in 2006 at the age of 28 during a terror attack in Kashmir’s Baramulla.
Soldiers walking the bride down the aisle. (Express Photo)
Dressed in a pink bridal lehenga embroidered with gold zari, Muskan Bhati (22) was all set to walk down the aisle on November 25. Hands decorated with henna, and bangles adorning the wrists, she prepared to step outside of the room where she was sitting when she realised that some more guests had arrived. She peeked out and saw heads turning — a group of soldiers, clad in uniforms, had entered the hallway of the wedding venue in Greater Noida’s Kasna.
One of them took a red dupatta, and smoothened its edges. He and three others then held it above their heads — a ritual common in Indian weddings where relatives, usually men, make an awning-like structure to walk the bride down the aisle before she is given away.
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These were soldiers from Punjab’s Grenadiers unit. They had served with her father, Suresh Singh Bhati, who was killed in 2006 at the age of 28 during a terror attack in Kashmir’s Baramulla.
“I had tears in my eyes when they came and hugged me,” said Muskan’s grandmother Krishna Bhati (75). She had never thought, she added, that all of them would be there to bless her granddaughter on her wedding day. “I heard a lot of noise. Many people from our Dabra village gathered to meet them,” she recalled.
Muskan’s paternal uncle, Pawan Singh Bhati, sitting among his relatives at his Greater Noida residence days after the wedding, recollected that he had sent an invitation to the Punjab Unit just a week before the big day. “Most of them worked with my brother. I was sure that one or two of them would be attending the wedding, but when I saw so many of them — even those who had retired from the service — in their uniform, it felt as if my brother was there to bless Muskan,” he said.
Suresh, the eldest of three brothers, had joined the Indian Army in 1997 after Class X. He got his training from Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, and then went on to serve in Kashmir as a Lance Corporal.
His brother, Pawan, recalled that four days after he was injured in the terrorist encounter in 2006, he succumbed to his injuries. “Since then, I have taken care of both his sons and daughter just like my own children,” Pawan told The Indian Express.
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Last year, Harsh, Suresh’s elder son, also joined the Indian Army and is serving in Jammu and Kashmir. He too was surprised to see his father’s former colleagues at the wedding.
“Right before the exchange of garlands between the bride and groom, we learnt that a bus full of soldiers had reached the mandap area. We did not expect all of them here,” he recounted.
“First, at the mandap, they garlanded my father’s photo and then came to meet my sister and also performed her kanyadaan (the ceremony of giving the bride away),” Harsh added.
For many at Dabra village, where the family lives, this was an unusual sight. “We had never seen or heard of a wedding like this. When they came and the villagers learnt of it, everyone rushed to see it,” said a resident.
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Rueing that his brother did not get the due respect even after sacrificing his life for the nation, Pawan added, “What the government could not do for us, his colleagues and batchmates did. For years, I have been running all over to get recognition for my brother… no one in our family got any job even as others who have lost their life in such battles have been shown more respect.”
Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in the Noida bureau. She primarily covers crime, health, and environmental issues, as well as human-interest features across Noida, Ghaziabad, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
Professional Profile
Education: She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.
Core Beat: Her work focuses on the administrative and social challenges of the NCR's satellite cities. She is known for her detailed reporting on civic infrastructure (like the Noida International Airport), environmental violations, and high-profile criminal investigations.
Personal Interests: Outside of reporting, she is an avid reader of fiction (citing The Thursday Murder Club and Yellowface as recent favorites) and a gardening enthusiast.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Neetika’s recent reportage has been dominated by winter-related crises in the NCR and significant criminal legalities:
1. Environment & Public Safety
"Greater Noida Authority slaps fines on firms for violating GRAP IV norms" (Dec 21, 2025): Reporting on heavy penalties imposed on major developers like NBCC for flouting anti-pollution construction bans.
"Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks" (Dec 17, 2025): A major report on a 15-vehicle collision caused by dense fog that killed 17 people.
"At Chilla, Kalindi, DND, many fined Rs 20,000 for non-compliance to Delhi's BS-VI rule" (Dec 19, 2025): On-the-ground reporting from the borders where Noida police penalize non-compliant vehicles entering the capital.
"Driving in Noida amid fog? New speed limits in effect till Feb 15" (Dec 13, 2025): Detailing the seasonal traffic restrictions aimed at preventing highway accidents.
2. Crime & Legal Developments
"'Have you ever heard of a murder case being withdrawn?': Court in Akhlaq lynching case" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering a critical courtroom hearing where the court questioned the UP government's petition to withdraw charges against the accused.
"After losing money in stock market, bank employee in Ghaziabad withdraws Rs 64 lakh from customers' accounts" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative piece on internal bank fraud and the risks of modern digital embezzlement.
"Woman shot dead by partner in Noida: Three days on, accused still on the run" (Dec 2, 2025): Tracking a high-profile domestic violence and murder case in Central Noida.
3. Human Interest & Features
"'Had tears in my eyes': Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack" (Dec 2, 2025): A moving story about soldiers from a Punjab Grenadiers unit fulfilling a father's duty for his daughter.
"How a Zepto delivery man heard a cry — and saved two kids dumped in Noida drain" (Dec 2025): A viral human-interest story highlighting individual heroism in the city.
Signature Style
Neetika is recognized for her meticulous follow-up on local tragedies. Whether it is a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway or the ongoing construction of the Jewar (Noida) Airport, she focuses on systemic lapses and the safety of commuters. Her crime reporting often explores the psychological motives behind "crimes of passion" and the rising trend of financial cyber-fraud in the Ghaziabad-Noida belt. ... Read More
