Punjab: Proud 82-year-old mother among pallbearers, carries brave son’s coffin in Pathankot

An 82-year-old woman from Pathankot in Punjab shouldered the coffin of her son, Havildar Madan Lal Sharma and walked three kilometers to the cremation ground.

Pathankot, Sep 24: A heart-wrenching visual that showed a proud mother carry her son’s coffin will bring you to tears and will rip your heart like never before. An 82-year-old woman from Pathankot in Punjab shouldered the coffin of her son, Havildar Madan Lal Sharma and walked three kilometers to the cremation ground. Sharma was killed in an encounter in Nowgam, Kashmir on September 21 as the Indian Army foiled two infiltration bids in the two sectors of Jammu and Kashmir.

In wake of the Uri terror attack, tensions escalated along the Line of Control (LoC) after four militants attacked the Uri Army base in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18. The Indian Army had beefed up the security and had stepped up vigil along the International border. Havildar Sharma was cremated with full military honours in his native Gharota village of Pathankot on Thursday.

# Ma Tujhe Salaam!
pic.twitter.com/fSqbh9QUZC

— Lt Gen K J Singh (@kayjay34350) September 23, 2016

Thousands of people had gathered to witness the funeral of the braveheart.  Havildar Sharma’s mother, Dharmo Devi (82), was among the pallbearers was who walked almost 3 km with the coffin from her house to the cremation ground. Senior army officers tried to discourage her from helping in carrying the coffin, considering her age and distance, but the proud mother remained adamant and made up to 3 kilometers to the cremation ground. (ALSO READ: Uri attack: Wreath laying ceremony of 17 brave-hearts to take place today; world condemns Pakistan’s cowardly act)

#ThoseThatWait
THIS is the photo that got me going.
Lt Kanavdeep Singh’s mother carries her son one last time, 2003 pic.twitter.com/WtuM44hXHT

— Harpreet (@CestMoiz) April 3, 2016

Being proud of her brave son, Dharmo Devi said the country needed more soldiers Havildar who could rise to the occasion and make the nation proud. Havildar Sharma’s kids, a two-and-a-half-year-old Kanav and his 6- year-old sister Shavita gave their last salute to their father. As they bid their father his farewell, emotions gripped the family and the relatives who had gathered there. (ALSO READ: Pampore encounter: Mehbooba Mufti, Nirmal Singh attend wreath laying ceremony for martyrs)

Havildar Sharma is survived by two kids, his mother Dharmo Devi and his wife Bhavana Sharma. “I talked to him (Sharma) a few days ago. I was planning a mundan (tonsuring ritual) of our son in the coming Navratras. So I requested him to take leave and participate in the function,” the jawan’s wife said.