Rohit Rai

It was the last day of his duty in Afghanistan after completing four months in the war-torn country, and he was scheduled to fly back to the British Military Garrison in Brunei the following day.

But Bijaya Rai, 22, did not see the next day; he was slain in an exchange of fire with the insurgents in Helmand province of the country beset by the protracted civil war.

"He told me that he would build a house to accommodate all of us, but he became dear to the God," says Indra Kumari, the youngest stepmother of Rai. The slain soldier, from Hansposha of Sunsari, had joined the British Army just three months back, and was scheduled to return home in December.

The whole village is shocked and saddened by the death of Rai.

Rai´s father Nakdhan, a retired captain from the Indian Army, had three wives who stay at separate places and Rai had planned to build a house to unite the family. Rai´s mother lives in Deurali VDC, Bhojpur. Rai had studied up to higher secondary level in Sunsari.

The family had also planned to get Rai married with his school-time girlfriend after building a house. The family is making preparations to go to the United Kingdom to receive the body.

Rai, who was a soldier from the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Gurkha Rifles, is survived by his father, a former Indian Army soldier, three mothers (two step mothers) and two brothers who are currently serving in the Indian Army

Rai was fatally shot while protecting a checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj with Afghan security personnel. He is the fifth Gurkha solider to be killed in Afghanistan, taking to 383 the number of British forces killed in the war torn nation in the last 10 years.

Published on: 19 October 2011 | Republica