Gravely hurt in LoC ceasefire violation, 38-year-old Army soldier from Kolhapur succumbs to injuries

Havaldar Patil Sangram Shivaji

A 38-year-old Army soldier from Kolhapur district was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army, in the form of mortar shelling and small arms fire, along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera Sector in Jammu and Kashmir, in the early hours of Saturday.

“Havildar Sangram Shivaji Patil was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” the Indian Army sttated in a press statement on Saturday afternoon. Patil was from the 16 Maratha Light Infantry of the Indian Army and was recruited in 2002.

Patil hailed from Nigave Khalsa village in Karvir taluka of Kolhapur district and belonged to a farmer family. “On November 21, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera Sector, District Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir). Our own troops responded strongly to the enemy fire. In the incident, Hav Patil Sangram Shivaji was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries,” read the Army statement.

A family friend of the deceased soldier and an ex-serviceman from the same village, Mhadji Patil, told The Indian Express over the phone, “Sangram Patil belonged to a farmer family. He is survived by his parent Shivajirao and Satabai, wife Hemlata, six-year-old son Shaurya, two-year-old daughter Shivaswi and his brother Sandeep’s family. Sangram’s parents raised their children through very difficult situations… working very hard. Sangram had completed his primary and high school at the village school, and he then wanted to join the Army. The entire village stands with the family, which has lost its loved one.”

He added, “Army authorities have told us that his mortal remains will be brought to the village by Monday.” Officials from the Kolhapur District Sainik Welfare office said they will be coordinating with Army authorities to help transport the soldier’s mortal remains to the village.

Patil is the second soldier from Kolhapur district to have lost his life in ceasefire violation along the LoC within a week. Over a week ago, another soldier from Kolhapur district, 20-year-old Rushikesh Ramchandra Jondhale, was among the four Army personnel killed in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in Uri and Gurez sectors at multiple locations.

Pune-headquartered Southern Command of the Indian Army stated in a tweet, “Lt Gen C P Mohanty, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief and all ranks Southern Command salute the braveheart Havildar Patil Sangram Shivaji, who made the supreme sacrifice in Nowshera Sector on November 21, and offer condolences to the family.”

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh tweeted, “Sangram Shivaji Patil, a brave soldier of Nigve Khalsa village in Kolhapur, was martyred in a cowardly attack by Pakistan. Our tributes to this brave son of India. We stand with his family.”

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