Hours before cremation of martyred soldier, his wife delivers baby girl in hospital in J&K

Lance Naik Ranjit Singh had joined the Army in 2003 and was planning to take a leave to be with his wife who was expecting a baby anytime.

When the mortal remains of Lance Naik Ranjit Singh was brought to his home for his last rites on Tuesday, the wife of the martyr gave birth to a baby girl at the district hospital in Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir. The mortal remains of the martyr was at his home when he became the father of a baby girl at 5 am on Tuesday.

Just hours after the delivery of the child, the wife of the martyr, Shimu Devi, ensured her presence for the last rites of her husband. She reached the site of the cremation along with the infant around noon in an ambulance.

According to reports, she developed labour pain at around Monday midnight, following which she was rushed to the hospital.

Lance Naik Ranjit Singh was cremated with full military honours in the presence of officials of Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and district administration, and local legislator.

The soldier was among the three personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry who fell to the bullets of Pakistani intruders along the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Sunday. Two heavily-armed Pakistani infiltrators, believed to be members of the border action team, were also killed in the gunfight.

One of the local residents, known to the family of the martyr, told news agency PTI that the soldier waited for 10 years for the birth of his first child "but destiny had something else in store for him".

Singh had joined the Army in 2003 and was planning to take a leave to be with his wife who was expecting a baby anytime.

The soldier is survived by his parents, three younger sisters and as many brothers who live in a joint family.