Mohali, Sep 13 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday named a road in Mohali after Colonel Manpreet Singh, who was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the Kashmir Valley in 2023.
The road from Mullanpur Chowk to the T-Point has been named as ‘Shaheed Colonel Manpreet Singh Marg’ in memory of the brave soldier, he said, adding a park has also been dedicated to him.
“Our martyrs are our pride and legacy, and the Punjab government will always stand firmly with their families,” the chief minister said.
Speaking to the media alongside Col Singh’s family which included his wife Jagmeet and children Kabir (9) and Baani (5), Mann highlighted the officer’s supreme sacrifice and legacy.
“His family is with us today. A martyr is not of one family, but belongs to the entire country. Manpreet is an inspiration for all of us that he laid down his life for the country’s sake,” he said.
“On this occasion, the state government remembers the immense contribution of this brave warrior to the nation. This braveheart made the supreme sacrifice while fighting the enemy in defence of the motherland,” he added.
By naming these public places after this brave son of Punjab, the state government has paid homage to his supreme sacrifice, he said.
Mann expressed hope that the initiative would inspire the youth of Punjab to serve the nation selflessly.
“The valour, guidance and sacrifice of Colonel Manpreet Singh will continue to inspire us forever,” he said.
Born in 1982 in Bharonjian near Mullanpur in the Mohali district, Col Singh, a certified chartered accountant, was a third-generation soldier following in the footsteps of his father, Lakhbir Singh, and grandfather, Sita Singh.
He completed his schooling in Mullanpur and graduated in commerce from a college in Chandigarh before clearing the Combined Defence Services examination to join the Indian Military Academy.
On August 15, 2024, he was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, country’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award.
Replying to a question on the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, Mann assured that his government would rehabilitate personnel after completing their tenure.
“The first batch of Agniveer is coming after completing its term,” he said, adding that they will be adjusted in police, bank security, and as forest guards.
The chief minister said his government gives financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to the family of Agniveer who lay down their lives in the line of duty.
To a question on some youths indulging in criminal activities, Mann said they take law into their hands after they get misled.
“I urge them to pursue positivity. The government stands by you. Schools are good. Good opportunities are available. Do not take any such step so that you may have to regret later,” Mann said.
To a question on opposition attacking the government over school infrastructure, he said there are over 19,000 schools in the state and “our effort is that no school should remain below standard”.
“Tomorrow, our students will become lawyers, doctors, engineers, pilots and will also become leaders. Teachers are being recruited. They are being sent to Singapore, Finland for training. It’s showing good results as in 2021, only 80 students of governments schools passed NEET exam while in 2026, 882 students cleared the test,” he said.
Refusing to take political questions, the chief minister noted that it was a solemn occasion to pay respects to a martyr and that making political comments would be inappropriate.
The Mohali ceremony was also attended by Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang and senior officials.
In a related development in Jammu and Kashmir, the Army paid rich tributes to Col Singh and three other bravehearts on the anniversary of Operation Gadool, commemorating their sacrifice in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The event, organised by the 19 Rashtriya Rifles at its Larkipora battalion headquarters, featured a solemn wreath-laying ceremony and the plantation of four Chinar saplings at the ‘Colonel Manpreet Singh Dwar’.
Col Singh, who commanded the 19 RR, laid down his life alongside Major Aashish Dhonchak, Jammu and Kashmir Police Deputy Superintendent Humayun Muzzammil Bhat, and Sepoy Pardeep Singh during the September 2023 encounter in the dense forests of Kokernag. Two terrorists, including top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Uzair Khan, were believed to have been killed in the week-long operation.
“The four Chinar saplings planted in the vicinity of Colonel Manpreet Singh Dwar will stand as a living memorial to the bravehearts. The Chinar deeply rooted in the heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, symbolises strength, resilience, and an enduring connection with future generations,” an official said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Anantnag) Amod Ashok Nagpure and Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles Colonel Rohit Rattan joined other senior officers from the military and police to lay wreaths at the memorial. PTI CHS SKL KVK KVK
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