A pall of grief has descended over Jol village in Himachal Pradesh’s Jawali constituency after 35-year-old ITBP jawan Ankaj Kumar, son of Thakur Singh, passed away due to a brain stroke while on duty in Almora, Uttarakhand.
Serving as a driver with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Ankaj Kumar suffered a sudden brain stroke on Wednesday. His family was informed by ITBP officials at around 5 PM on June 25. The tragic news has deeply affected his family and the entire local community.
Ankaj Kumar had recently returned to duty after a month-long leave. His father runs a tailoring shop in Bhali, while his mother Kanta Devi is a homemaker. He is survived by his wife Sapna Devi and two sons—10-year-old Aditya and 8-year-old Suryansh.
The family, devastated by the sudden loss, is being consoled by villagers and local officials. The mortal remains of the martyr are expected to reach his native village Jol by Friday morning, where his final rites will be conducted with full state honours.
The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the quiet sacrifices made by Indian Armed Forces, even outside of combat zones.