The villages of Manupur and Badinpur in Punjab were draped in solemnity on Sunday, August 10, 2025, as families, officials, and entire communities gathered to bid farewell to two of their own—Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh. Both soldiers lost their lives in one of the longest and most intense gunfights in recent memory in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, a region long marked by unrest and violence.
The encounter, which began on August 1, 2025, in the Akhal forested area of Kulgam, was sparked by intelligence reports suggesting the presence of militants. According to The Associated Press, Indian troops initiated a cordon and search operation after receiving a tip that insurgents were operating in the area. What followed was a drawn-out and deadly series of firefights, with intermittent clashes that stretched over more than a week and involved the deployment of helicopters and drones by the Indian Army.
Early in the operation, multiple search efforts triggered fierce exchanges with militants. Officials reported that the initial firefight left one militant dead and seven soldiers wounded. But the violence did not subside. Instead, it intensified, culminating on the eighth day—late Friday, August 8—when two army soldiers, later identified as Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, were killed and two others injured. The Indian Army confirmed that the operation continued into Saturday, August 9, underscoring the protracted and perilous nature of the conflict.
The loss of the two soldiers sent ripples of grief across Punjab. Their bodies were returned to their respective native villages—Pritpal Singh to Manupur in Samrala, and Harminder Singh to Badinpur in Mandi Gobindgarh. There, they were cremated with full military honors, a mark of the nation’s respect for their sacrifice. The funerals drew large crowds of mourners, including family members, friends, political leaders, senior district administration officials, and Army representatives. Samrala MLA Jagtar Singh Dyalpura, who attended the cremation of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh, spoke of the soldier’s valor, stating, "Pritpal Singh performed his duty with bravery and dedication and his sacrifice will continue to inspire the youth." (The Tribune).
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also expressed their condolences. In a message posted on X, Amarinder Singh wrote, “Deeply anguished by the martyrdom of Sepoy Pritpal Singh from Manupur, Khanna, & Sepoy Harminder Singh from Badinpur, Mandi Gobindgarh, in an encounter with terrorists in Kulgam, J&K. Their supreme sacrifice in service to the nation will never be forgotten. My prayers for strength to their families in this hour of grief.”
The personal stories behind the uniforms added another layer of heartbreak to the tragedy. Lance Naik Pritpal Singh, aged 28, had joined the Army in 2015. Earlier this year, in February, he married and soon after returned to duty in April. His brother, Harpreet Singh, recounted how Pritpal was scheduled to come home on leave later this month, a reunion that will now never happen. Harpreet recalled receiving the devastating call from Army officials on Friday morning, delivering the news of his brother’s death in the line of duty.
Sepoy Harminder Singh, just 26 years old, was also due to return home on leave within a week, according to his cousin. He is survived by his elderly parents, a brother, and a sister. The pain of his loss was palpable among those who gathered in Badinpur, many of whom struggled to hold back tears as the young soldier was laid to rest.
The gunfight in Kulgam has been described as one of the longest in Indian-controlled Kashmir in recent years. According to The Associated Press, the region has long been a flashpoint, with militants fighting against New Delhi’s rule since 1989. The conflict, rooted in competing territorial claims by nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, has cost tens of thousands of lives—civilians, rebels, and government forces alike.
The latest encounter in Kulgam is part of a wider pattern of violence that has gripped the region, particularly since New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in 2019. The move has led to increased counterinsurgency operations and a clampdown on dissent, civil liberties, and media freedoms. As The Associated Press notes, the valley has simmered with anger, and while the locus of violence had shifted to the mountainous areas of Jammu in recent years, the Kulgam operation is a stark reminder that the conflict remains unresolved.
India continues to assert that the militancy in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies. Many Muslim Kashmiris, meanwhile, view the insurgency as a legitimate struggle for self-determination—either to join Pakistan or to form an independent nation. The international community, including the United States, has at times played a mediating role, most notably earlier this year when a ceasefire was brokered following a deadly massacre in the Kashmiri resort town of Pahalgam that led to heightened military confrontation between India and Pakistan.
Back in Punjab, the funerals of Pritpal Singh and Harminder Singh were more than just ceremonies—they were moments of collective mourning and reflection. The presence of political leaders and military officials signaled the gravity of the loss and the enduring respect for those who serve on the front lines. Samrala MLA Jagtar Singh Dyalpura assured the bereaved families that the state government stands with them in their time of grief, a sentiment echoed by many across the political spectrum.
As the smoke from the funeral pyres faded, the stories of these two young men lingered in the air—stories of duty, sacrifice, and the heavy toll of a conflict with no easy end in sight. Their names now join a long list of those who have paid the ultimate price in Kashmir, a region where the lines between heroism and heartbreak are all too often blurred.
For the families of Lance Naik Pritpal Singh and Sepoy Harminder Singh, and for the countless others touched by the violence in Kashmir, the pain is both personal and political. Their sacrifice, honored with full military rites and public tributes, serves as a somber reminder of the human cost of ongoing strife in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
As Punjab grieves, the nation pauses to remember—and to reckon with the enduring challenges that confront both its soldiers and its citizens.
