A fauji house whose owner will not return

But when one walks into the house, one notices that something is amiss.

Hushed whispers tell you that the second generation fauji owner, who dug deep into his life-long savings to build his house as a labour of love, would never come back to his house again.

A shell from a Pakistani artillery gun tore open Subedar Bhanwar Singh Rathore of 1871 medium artillery regiment in Kargil sector on June 17.

That was 44 days before he was to put on the olive green uniform for the last time, get a warm send-off from his unit, and return home at thisvillage in Pali district of Rajasthan and prepare for his daughter8217;s wedding.

July 31 would have been a new beginning for him and he would lead a peaceful, retired life thereafter.

Sub Rathore was in a great hurry to return home to get his three daughters married. His younger brother Lance Naik Girdhari Singh of Rajputana Rifles is now left with that responsibility.

8220;He was the elder brother and I never had to worry about anything. I don8217;t know how I will fulfil his responsibilities and take care of his family,8221; Singh says with tears in his eyes.