CHANDIGARH, July 22: The mortal remains of two battle casualties from the ongoing Operation Vijay in the Kargil sector were received here from Thoise and accorded full military honours before being sent to their native places in Punjab and Rajasthan today.Naik Surinder Singh Shekhawat of 10 Para (Special Forces) had succumbed to splinter injuries sustained in an artillery barrage on May 21 in the Batalik sector. However, due to the difficult terrain and continuous shelling, his body could only be recovered this week.The 26-year-old paratrooper hailing from Huddel village in Nagaur district of Rajasthan, is survived by his wife, Bhanwar Kanwar.The body of Sepoy Sukhchain Deep Singh who was killed by artillery shelling on July 21 in the Batalik sector, was also airlifted here. Aged 25, he belongs to Gudani Kalan village near Ludhiana. He is survived by his mother Harjeet Kaur. An honour guard presented arms and the Funeral March was played as the pall bearers slow-marched with the tricolour draped coffins. Arms were reversed as a mark of respect and buglers sounded the Last Post followed by the Rouse.Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, Punjab Chief Minister, Army Chief, Air Chief, Western Army Commander, Western Air Force Commander, Chandimandir Station Commander and Air Officer Commanding, 12 Wing.Those who paid floral tributes to the fallen soldiers included N-Area Commander Col Shakti Prashad, Chief Operations Officer 12 Wing, Gp Capt R.N. Merani, Commanding Officer, 322 AD Regiment, Col P. Datta, Commanding Officer 603 ASC Battalion Col R.K. Raina, Deputy Director, Sainik Welfare Punjab, Lt Col R.S. Shergill (retd), Col Surjit Singh from Station Headquarters and Col Ramesh Lal (retd), from UT Sainik Welfare Department.
