Kulwant Panna, a 35-year-old jawan of the Border Security Force (BSF), lost his life in a tragic road accident on May 27, just days after returning home from active deployment in Operation Sindoor.
A resident of Bartoli village in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district, Panna was riding a scooter to visit his wife at her parental home in Duldula when the accident occurred near Ginabahar in the Kunkuri police station area. According to police, he lost control of his vehicle and collided with a culvert pillar, sustaining severe injuries to his head and leg.
He was initially taken to the Kunkuri Government Hospital by local villagers and his brothers, Jonic and Asit Panna. Due to the critical nature of his injuries, he was later shifted to Holy Cross Hospital, where he succumbed during treatment.
Kulwant Panna was serving with the 35th Battalion of the BSF in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. He had recently taken part in Operation Sindoor, a high-stakes mission launched in response to escalated tensions along the India-Pakistan border following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
His untimely death has sent shockwaves through his home village and the wider security forces community. Several BSF personnel who were also on leave assembled at the hospital to pay their final respects.
The police have registered a case of unnatural death and an investigation is underway, according to Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Soni.
Panna was laid to rest in his native village of Bartoli, where he was accorded full military honours. He is remembered as a humble and dedicated soldier, known for his helpful nature and strong sense of duty. His loss is being deeply mourned by his family, comrades, and community.