Cost of terror: the soldiers who died in the Pathankot attacks

On 2 January, Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists entered Indian territory and launched an attack on the Pathankot Air Force base. Since then, seven jawans have lost their lives in the operation to neutralise the militants.

Till now, five militants have been killed by security forces and combing operations are still on to secure the entire area.

While the entire country was celebrating the beginning of the new year, seven families lost their young sons in the terror attack.

Also Read: Did the Pathankot attackers take the route used by drug peddlers?

Today, as the nations mourns the deaths of our jawans, here's what you need to know about them:

Corporal Gursewak Singh

File Photo

• Singh, a part of the Indian Air Force's Elite commando force Garud, was rushed to the Air Base on the night of 2 January, from Adampur, where he was posted.

• Gursewak had just tied the knot with Jaspreet Kaur on 18 November 2015. As per an Indian Express report, he had applied for leave from 13 January to 6 February so that he could be with his wife on her birthday on 5 February.

• He joined the Garud force six years ago. Gursewak's elder brother, Hardeep Singh, is also in the Indian Army.

  Also Read: Havaldar Jagdish Chand killed an attacker while working in the kitchen

Captain Fateh Singh

Photo: ANI

• 51-year-old Fateh Singh had joined the Defence Security Corps (DSC) after serving in the army as Subedar Major. He died during the combing operations on 3 January.

• Singh was an ace Big Bore shooter who had won the Gold and Silver during the first Commonwealth Games in 1995 at New Delhi.

• He was posted in Pathankot just two years ago. Prior to that, he was posted in Mhow under the Dogra regiment.

Also Read: Garud Commando Gursewak Singh's last rites held at his native place

Lt Col Niranjan Kumar

File Photo

• Kumar lost his life on the morning of 4 January during the combing operations. Lt Col Kumar was a member of the bomb disposal squad and was trying to defuse a grenade when it went off.

• The 34-year-old is survived by his wife, two-year-old daughter and his father. A Bengaluru resident, he was promoted to the post of Lt Col in the NSG just a few months ago.

• His body was brought to Bengaluru in the morning and will be cremated today.

Hawaldar Jagdish Chand

File Photo

• Transferred from Leh to Pathankot just a few months ago, Chand had returned to his duty from a 10-day vacation just a day before the attack.

• Chand worked in the kitchen as a cook and when he saw the terrorists entering, he bravely attacked them with his bare hands and snatched one of the militant's rifle.

• He fell to enemy firing after killing one of the militants. He has left behind his wife, son and two daughters.

Also Read: 3 questions the Pathankot terror attack raises about the India-Pakistan peace process

Hawaldar Kulwant Singh

File Photo

• A resident of the Chak Sharif village near Gurdaspur in Punjab, Singh was another braveheart who fought the militants and sacrificed his life for the nation.

• He was also a part of the Defence Security Corps.

Hawaldar Sanjeev Singh Rana

File Photo

• Rana was also a part of the DSC and was martyred on the first day of the attack. He reportedly took five bullets in the chest.

• He was the only bread-earner in his family and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Rana's father had also served in the army.

Another braveheart Lance Naik Phoolwant Singh passed away at the hospital last night, as per media reports.