Service No : JC-424154Y
Place of birth : Tarn Taran Dist(Pun)
Service : Army
Last Rank : Naib Subedar
Arm/Regt : The Mechanised Infantry
Operation : CI & IS Ops
Awards : Sena Medal
Martyrdom : July 8, 2023
Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh SM
Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh hailed from Chabhal Kalan in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab. Like many young lads of his village, he too was fascinated with army life and nursed a dream of joining the army since his childhood. Consequently following his dream, he joined the army after completing his school education. He was recruited into to the Mechanized Infantry, an infantry Regiment well known for its gallant soldiers and various battle honours. After serving for some time with his parent unit, he was deputed to serve with the 16 RR battalion deployed in J&K for counter-insurgency operations. By 2023, he had put in a substantial number of years of service in the Army and had been promoted to the rank of Naib Subedar. By that time he had evolved into an experienced Junior Commissioned Officer, having served in areas with different terrain and operational environments.
Area Domination Patrol (Poonch: J&K): 08 Jul 2023
During 2023, Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh‘s unit 16 RR battalion was deployed in the Poonch sector of J & K along the LOC. The LOC was highly active and volatile wherein cease-fire violations occurred very often and without any warning. The unit troops were engaged in operations against the terrorists regularly as the unit's area of responsibility (AOR) was active with militancy. The volatility of its AOR demanded 'high alert' at all times on the part of the troops. The area was also prone to infiltration, which necessitated regular armed patrols to check any infiltration from across the border. On 08 Jul 2023, Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh was tasked to lead one such ‘Area Domination Patrol’ in the Surankote area falling in the AOR of the unit. Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh and his comrades set off for the patrol along the planned route on 08 July 2023. The route passed through difficult terrain, dotted by sides with deep gorges and crevices. The soldiers had to exercise extreme caution while treading on the available tracks on the route.
To make matters worse, it had been raining in J&K for the last few days and the region was at a high risk of flooding and flash floods. Due to heavy rains, the water level in Jhelum and its tributaries had increased and flood situation had arisen in many places. But that did not deter Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh and he continued to lead his team to complete the given task. However as they were crossing the Dogra Nullah in the Surankote area of the Poonch district, the soldiers got entrapped in the flash floods. Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh and another soldier Lance Naik Telu Ram did not get adequate time to take any evasive action and got swept away in the swollen stream of Poshana River. A rescue operation comprising the elements of the Army, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was launched to trace the soldiers, who were swept away by the strong current. However, Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh and Lance Naik Telu Ram could not be saved and were martyred. The body of Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh was recovered on the night of 08 July and that of Lance Naik Telu Ram was recoved on 09 July 2023. Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh was a dedicated and valiant Junior Commissioned Officer, who laid down his life in the line of his duty. Nb Sub Kuldeep Singh was awarded the "Sena Medal" (posthumously) on 26 Jan 2024 for his commendable gallantry, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.
Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh is survived by his wife Smt Sawinder Kaur, son Hardeep Singh and daughter Armandeep Kaur.
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