2 months since his death, Agniveer's ashes yet to be immersed; kin await ‘martyr' status amid Punjab govt silence

Indian Express

2 days ago

Over two months after the cremation of Agniveer Akashdeep Singh, 20, who died of a bullet injury while on duty in Jammu on May 15, his family has refused to immerse his ashes in protest against the 'government's indifference'.
The grieving family in Kothe Chahal village in Faridkot's Kotkapura says they are still waiting for Akashdeep to be officially recognised as a martyr, and for the compensation routinely granted to the families of soldiers who die in the line of duty.
On Friday, Akashdeep's parents, accompanied by members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), held a protest march through the streets of Faridkot that culminated in a sit-in demonstration inside the district administrative complex. They also submitted a memorandum to Punamdeep Kaur, Deputy Commissioner (DC).
Addressing the protesters, BKU (Sidhupur) president and convenor of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political), Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, 'I am shocked by the Punjab Government's apathetic response. It has been 70 days since this son of the soil was cremated, and his ashes are yet to be immersed. We sleep in peace because the Army guards our borders. And when one of them dies in uniform, does he not deserve dignity in death?'
He added, 'Neither the Centre nor the State has spoken. It is unbelievable — how can we be so stone-hearted? People had protested against this Agnipath scheme right in the beginning and see the condition of the families of these soldiers.'
Akashdeep reportedly died of a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head. His body was brought back in an ambulance and cremated on May 16. Though local MLA and Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan visited the family multiple times, the state government has made no announcement regarding compensation or his martyr status. The silence has only deepened the family's pain.
On Friday, Akashdeep's father, Balwinder Singh — a long-time AAP supporter — sat under the scorching sun wearing a black turban. His mother Karamjit Kaur, draped in a white dupatta, remained silent, her eyes questioning the system. 'What was my fault in sending my young son to the armed forces?' she had asked earlier.
Flex sheets at the protest site read: 'Akashdeep Amar Rahe (Long live Akashdeep)', 'Akashdeep nu shaheed da darza deo (Declare him a martyr)', and 'Akashdeep nu insaaf deo (Justice to Akashdeep)'.
The family handed over the memorandum to the DC along with Dallewal, but chose not to speak at the protest. Earlier, in a conversation with The Indian Express, Balwinder had said, 'We are upset with the Punjab government's approach. No announcement has been made. Speaker Sandhwan came to our house and attended the cremation, but there has been no word from the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann).'
The family was particularly hurt that even the DC did not visit their home — only a tahsildar was present during the cremation.
'My son died while on duty,' Kaur had said. 'People who die after drinking spurious liquor get Rs 10 lakh compensation and government jobs for their families. But my brave son, who left his BCom studies to serve the nation, has not even been acknowledged.'
Kaur added that the family will not immerse Akashdeep's ashes until he is honoured as a martyr. 'What is the purpose of the Agniveer scheme if those who die in service are not even recognised?'
The case has drawn comparisons to the first death of an Agniveer in India – Amritpal Singh, 19, who died by suicide in October 2023 in Punjab's Mansa. That incident had snowballed into a major political issue, following which chief minister Mann personally visited the family, announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had then declared that the Punjab government stood with its soldiers even when the Centre failed.
'The contrast in treatment is shocking,' said Harvipan Singh, block president of BKU (Sidhupur). 'Why this silence in Akashdeep's case?'
Asked about the status of the family's demands, the DC said, 'We are forwarding the memorandum to the Chief Minister's Office. So far, we haven't received any feedback.'
Meanwhile, Akashdeep's ashes remain as a symbol of the family's pain and a government that appears to look the other way.