The Pakistan Army on Sunday evening fired five or six anti-tank guided missiles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district where at least one hit the bunker in which the soldiers were positioned. The attack killed Captain Kapil Kundu along with three other soldiers – riflemen Ramavatar, 28, Subham Singh, 22, and Havilder Roshan Lal, 42.
Captain Kapil Kundu was just six days short of his 23rd birthday and intro on his Facebook page speaks volumes about his incredible spirit: “Life should be big instead of being long…”
“If I had another son, I would have sent him to the army too. Had my son lived for another 15-20 years, he would have done more for his nation,” said Sunita Kundu, the mother of Captain Kundu.
The officer’s hometown was Pataudi in Haryana, to where he had booked a ticket to travel in order to celebrate his birthday on February 10 along with his mother Sunita and sisters.
He had joined the army after getting trained at the National Defence Academy (NDA).
Ramya Tholia, his best friend who grew up with him, said he loved writing poetry. “Kapil had a tough life, he lost his father to a heart attack on his birthday in 2012, he was on his way to write his board exams… we were all scared but he passed with over 80 percent.”
One of the poems, which he wrote, this title stood out: “A story of a martyred soldier…”
The officer had posted this quote as his favourite on Facebook, “Run. If you cannot, then walk. If you cannot, then crawl. But do not stop until you achieve your goal.”
Mourning for the young officer, many on social media shared parts of his life and paid moving tribute. Apparently, one of his last written poem in Hindi was circulated on WhatsApp.
While Indian Army claims that the Pakistanis opened unprovoked and random firing around 3.30 pm in Bhimber Gali sector in Rajouri, at an altitude of 3,000 feet, in a densely forested part of the Line of Control. Currently, the army is investigating if Pakistani forces had fired an artillery shell right at the bunker.
Firing along the border has escalated in recent years. In 2015, there were 152 violations of the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. In 2016, there were 228 violations. Last year, there were 860 incidents ..In just around one month this year, there have already been a whopping 240 violations.