New Delhi: Born and raised in Manipur, Border Security Force (BSF) constable Deepak Chingakham was deployed with 7th battalion in Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike other families, his parents believed that their son was safer in uniform, far from the ethnic conflict in the state. Only, it was not to be.
The 25-year-old was among eight BSF personnel injured in Pakistani shelling in R S Pora, Jammu division, in the early hours of 10 May.
Deepak, who belonged to the Meitei community, hailed from Yairipok Yambem Mathak Leikai village in Imphal East district. He was cremated Tuesday in his village, with full state honours.
On the night of 9 May, his father Chingakham Bonbihari Singh received a call from Deepak, a conversation, he said, was his last with his son. “I received a call around 11:55 p.m., so I just asked him why he was up so late, and he simply responded that he was on duty.”
Two days later, Singh was informed that his son had succumbed to the injuries sustained from hostile artillery fire. “Even though I lost my beloved son and I will grieve his death for the rest of my life, I also feel honoured that he was martyred for the motherland while serving the nation,” Singh told ThePrint.
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‘Cheerful & lively person’
His family described him as a joyful soul with a deep love for sports—especially football, which he had pursued passionately since childhood. “He was a cheerful and lively person, well-known in the neighbourhood for his vibrant nature,” said his uncle, who serves in the paramilitary Assam Rifles.
Deepak had joined the BSF in 2021 and was posted in Jammu from 2022. During one of his training camps, he humorously took on the role of ‘Basanti’ from the hit movie ‘Sholay’—a moment captured on video that has since gone viral on social media.
Deepak’s family lives in a mud house with a tin roof. His father is a farmer and often works as a daily wage labourer, earning around Rs 500–Rs 700 a day. As the primary breadwinner, Deepak largely supported the family, which included his parents and his 21-year-old younger brother, whose education he was funding.
Two months ago, during his last vacation, Deepak expressed his desire to build a house. “I told him that given his current income and responsibilities, and with only limited support from me, building a house was not financially feasible at the moment. I asked him to continue saving with the goal of constructing one in the near future. He wanted to build it in the same neighborhood and had told everyone about it,” Singh told ThePrint.
The past three years of ethnic conflict in Manipur have affected nearly every family in the state, including Deepak’s. His family was barely making ends meet, relying on the money he sent home each month. “He took care of everything. Now, we are hopeless and in despair,” his father said. “We are also scared for our other son, who is still living in the conflict-hit area.”
Deepak’s mother Chingakham Ibemhal Devi, still struggling to come to terms with her son’s death, recalled how Deepak had carried the weight of responsibility from a young age. He worked tirelessly to support his younger brother’s education and often spoke about his dream of building a new house for the family, she added.
“He always encouraged us to build a better home,” Devi said. “But as poor parents, we couldn’t afford it, and it pains me that I couldn’t fulfill his wish.”
Though her heart aches with the loss, the mother said it is filled with pride—knowing that her son died a hero, bravely serving the nation he loved.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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