Gurdaspur terror attack martyr Baljit Singh cremated with full honours

Punjab police officer Baljit Singh, who was killed fighting terrorists in Dina nagar, was cremated with full state honours on Wednesday, with people from all walks of life bidding him a tearful adieu.

Wreaths were laid on the body of SP (Detective) Baljit Singh by a cross section of people including politicians, top police officers, besides family and common people.

Maninder Singh, son of the slain SP, was inconsolable and broke down in tears several times.

Punjab Police Deputy General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and other top officers of the force laid wreaths on the body and paid their tributes.

Many Akali leaders including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Kamal Sharma, besides All India Anti-Terrorist Front Chairman, M S Bitta also paid tributes.

A gun salute was given to the martyr by a contingent of the Punjab police, prior to which buglers sounded the Last Post.

The funeral pyre was lit in the afternoon by the police officer’s son Singh.

On Tuesday, the family of the deceased police officer has refused to cremate him till the state government hands over appointment letters of SP rank to his son and post of tehsildar to his daughters, but later decided to drop their main demand following assurances from authorities.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal visited the family of Baljit Singh and said that the countrymen would ever remain indebted to the sacrifice made by the SP, who attained martyrdom to safeguard the security and sovereignty of the nation.

Notably, Baljit Singh was a son of police inspector Achhar Singh, who too was killed by militants during the height of militancy in Punjab in 1984.

Seven persons -- four civilians and three policemen including Baljit, were killed by heavily-armed militants who stormed a police station in the district on Monday.

Baljit had joined the force in 1985 as assistant sub-inspector following the death of his father. He served as SHO Phagwara and with Vigilance department in Mansa before taking up the post of Deputy Commandant in 7th IRB Battalion.

The police officer is survived by son, Maninder Singh, 24, daughters Parminder Kaur, 22 and Ravinder Kaur, 20. 

Image: Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini pays homage to martyr Baljit Singh. Photograph: ANI/Twitter