Rifleman Gautam Kumar  from Uttar Pradesh's Kotdwar returned to duty from his leave on December 16 -- five days before he was killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. Gautam Kumar's family was looking forward to his wedding, which was scheduled to take place on March 11, 2024.💔

Gautam's elder brother Rahul Kumar was in tears on Friday as he narrated how the family got a call around midnight on Thursday from his brother's unit saying he had been killed. The family has since been grief-stricken as they mourn the loss of the young soldier.

The district administration said the military welfare board has been contacted for the transport of Gautam Kumar's body. Once his body reaches Kotdwar, information will be released about where his last rites will be conducted.

Another soldier who died in the terrorist attack was Naik Birendra Singh who was a resident of Bamiyala village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli. He is survived by his wife and two daughters apart from his parents and siblings.

Singh's father is a farmer, while his elder brother is posted in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Birendra Singh was the youngest among his siblings.

His body will reach his village on Saturday and was first brought to Roorkee.