Kupwara hero cremated with full military honours in Dehradun

DEHRADUN: Naik Anup Thapa, of the 1/3 Gorkha Rifles and who hails from Dehradun, was killed while stopping an infiltration bid by terrorists near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday. According to Army sources, Thapa fought off the militants even after being severely injured and managed to prevent them from crossing the LoC.Another jawan, who was on patrol duty with Thapa, was also critically injured in the incident and is currently undergoing treatment at the Army hospital there. Thapa’s remains were brought to the city on Monday and he was cremated with full military honours.
Thapa was on active duty when heavily armed militants tried crossing the LoC on intervening nights of July 22 and July 23. In the ensuing gunbattle, four terrorists were killed and their bid was successfully foiled. Thapa succumbed to his injuries after sustaining several gunshot wounds.

The jawan’s cousin Mahesh Thapa told TOI, “My brother was a courageous soldier who took immense pride in his uniform. Since childhood he wanted to join the Army even though his father was a priest in a local temple. The day before Anup was shot, he had called home and spoke to us like he always did. He never mentioned the dangers he faced on a daily basis. His wife and children are devastated.” Thapa had joined the Army as a 19-year-old and had served in places like Siachen, Srinagar and Sikkim during his 21-year stint before he was posted in Kupwara last year.
The mortal remains of Anup Thapa were received by the local Army formation in Clement Town. The funeral with full military honours was attended by chief minister Harish Rawat, senior ranked officer of the cantonment besides civilian dignitaries and the soldier’s next of kin.