One of the two soldiers killed in the twin encounters between Army and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam early Saturday, Haryana’s Jind resident Pradeep Nain, 27, the only son of his parents, has left behind a pregnant wife.

Pradeep, from Jajanwala village in Narwana, married in 2022, seven years after joining army. Hearing his demise, his wife collapsed and was rushed to hospital.
A pall of gloom has descended on the village. “It was Pradeep’s childhood dream to join army. He used to salute army personnel whenever he came across them,” sarpanch Janak Singh Nain said.

Army officials met his parents. Pradeep’s body will soon be brought to the village for cremation, they said.