Shimla, July 19,
The mortal remains of Agni Veer Nikhil Dhadwal, an army jawan from Lahlari village, Hamirpur, were cremated today near his native village. The ceremony was attended by grieving family members and hundreds of others.
Nikhil Dhadwal, who allegedly committed suicide yesterday, was honored with full state honors. His family, however, is contesting the suicide claim, with his father, Daler Singh, a taxi driver, asserting that his son could not have taken his own life.
Hundreds of people, including fellow army jawans, gathered to pay their respects as Nikhil’s brother lit the funeral pyre. The body, transported by an army vehicle adorned with flowers, arrived home earlier in the day.
HP Chief Minister SS Sukhu expressed condolences, stating that Nikhil’s untimely death was deeply saddening. He prayed for Nikhil’s soul and strength for the bereaved family. Deputy Commissioner Amarjit Singh and SP Bhagat Singh represented the state government at the ceremony, where army personnel reversed their arms and fired into the air in tribute.
Nikhil, a member of the first batch of Agni Veers, had completed two years of service and was posted in the Akhnoor area of Jammu. Having recently returned from annual leave, he was on duty in Tanda, Akhnoor, at the time of his death. Lt Col Varun Gandhi, who accompanied the body from Kashmir to Hamirpur, declined to comment on the circumstances of Nikhil’s death.
The family remains in disbelief over the alleged suicide, with Nikhil’s father repeatedly insisting that his son did not take his own life.
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