Shiva Sharma

The family of Rana Bahadur Gurung, an Indian Gorkha army man, who was killed in an attack by Pakistani rebels at Tandhar along the India-Pakistan border 13 days ago, is mourning his death.

“He [Rana Bahadur] had told me over the phone that he would return home soon to celebrate our daughter's birthday,” lamented Rana Bahadur's wife Mankumari. She said Rana Bahadur had also told her that he was then deployed to a dangerous area. Rana Bahadur is a permanent resident of Tangting VDC in Kaski and his family is living in Pokhara. Who do we depend on as our only son is gone?” his father Ganga Bahadur said tearfully. The family said Rana Bahadur was scheduled to come home in the first week of Bhadra for the Dashain and Tihar festivals.

Rana Bahadur joined the Indian Gorkha battalion nine years ago. One of his friends who fought alongside Rana Bahadur in the battle said he fought bravely for four days. His last rites were performed in India. His sister Kumari Gurung said he joined the Indian force after his failure to join the British Gurkha regiment. Married to Mankumari two years ago, he got an intermediate degree from the Pokhara-based Prithivi Narayan Campus.

Published on: 18 August 2013 | The Kathmandu Post