Thousands pay tribute to fallen hero Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz

Three days ago after a young officer was brutally robbed of his life in the Valley, the angst and anger out poured at India Gate on Saturday evening. The calm of weekend revellers at the monument, which also happens to be symbolic of martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation, was shattered with slogans heavily loaded with patriotism.

It started with not more than 100 people who gathered in front of Amar Jawan Jyoti, braving the onslaught of a humid evening. Banners paying homage to Lt Umar Fayaz, the officer who was killed by militants on Tuesday, flew high as this handful of people angrily mourned the sheer barbarity of the act. Soon, stuck by this nationalistic high, the crowd started to swell, turning the candle march in Fayaz's honour into a huge show of strength. From ex-servicemen cutting across ranks to serving officers to the aam aadmi, everyone and anyone who was moved by the killing, marched towards Amar Jawan Jyoti, hearts lit with hope much like the candles they were carrying.

A common sentiment running through the rhetoric of Vande Matram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai, was a desire to “avenge” the murder. A large part of the now 600-plus crowd, swore by the urgency to retaliate, to react. And they minced no words. "Why are we acting like sitting ducks? We cannot let our enemies come in and rip us apart and offer the other cheek. Either the government should take stringent measures or let us wipe out the rogues," said Cdr Pawan Sanan (retd) of Indian Navy, who had come to pay tribute to “the boy who was killed for no fault of his.” Chandrashekhar Bhattacharyya, of the Delhi Defence Review, had similar views. “We need to move beyond just doing ‘Kadi ninda’, and security forces need to be given a conducive environment to operate. I have full faith in their capabilities.”

As the evening progressed and the atmosphere became more electrifying by the moment, more people joined in. Standing with their head held high quietly in a corner, was a group of officers from 124 TA, who had come in “personal capacity to express solidarity with their brethren.” Around 7:30, a flag car drove in, surprising some of them as the plaque marked the presence of a high ranking officer. Lt General Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated defence staff to Chief of staff Committee arrived at the event and what came across was a telling message from the Army to a lot of officers present at the venue.

“This is a blunt message that we won't be sitting quietly now. A senior officer joining us for the vigil is a huge morale booster for us. But I am hurt and angry at the absence of the leaders and ministers. Isn't India their country as well,” quipped an officer who didn't wish to be named.