Bengaluru: Parents of Col Navjot Bal undertake ardous journey to attend his funeral


Bengaluru, Apr 12 (IANS): In his long road journey from Gurugram to catch the last glimpse of his son, Colonel Navjot Singh Bal, Karnail Singh Bal entered Karnataka Saturday evening amid Covid-19 lockdown.

"We are on the road, I'm not sure where we are, the driver is driving. I think we should be in Karnataka now," Bal told IANS.

Bal and his wife are driving from Gurugram to Bengaluru to attend the funeral of his son Navjot, 39, who succumbed to cancer on Thursday.

Gurugram to Bengaluru via Vadodara is around 2,348 km farther south.

Eighteen hours ago, Navjot's brother Navtez Singh Bal tweeted that his parents reached Vadodara in Gujarat, 968 km southwest of Gurugram. Bengaluru is another 1,380 km southeast of Vadodara.

Bal said, "I don't know in which hospital my son passed away in Bengaluru, because I was at Amritsar, I have no information, only once I go there, I will find out."

Bal, a former Army officer himself, said Navjot was the commanding officer of 2nd Para Regiment of the Indian Army in Bengaluru and married with two sons.

Navjot's family has decided to conduct the final rites in the city itself, instead of their hometown, owing to the prevailing difficult situation arising from the lockdown.

"I should go to Bengaluru rather than disturbing the whole family. His wife and children are in Bangalore, and some of his relatives are in Bangalore," said Bal.

Bal highlighted the prospect of everybody going all the way to their hometown would inconvenience and disturb everybody's family life in lockdown conditions.

The former Army officer said the government has facilitated the long road transit amid the lockdown and said they are self-contained in terms of food in the journey.

"Yeah, Yeah. Without support, I wouldn't have been able to come here," he said.

"Please don't ask me many things because I am not sure what is good or what is bad. I hope you understand. But the bottom line is yes, I am reaching there."

Likewise, Bal was also not sure what time he would reach Bengaluru and said he would sleep if it gets dark.

Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, Navtez tweeted that his parents were 650 km away from Benglauru.

"Quick update. Now 650 km away from Bengaluru. Massive support and help from the Forces (Armed) and police. Everyone at the frontline is doing a fantastic job in managing the spread of the virus," tweeted Navtez.

On Thursday, Navtez tweeted that his parents were figuring out a way to reach Bengaluru to perform the last rites of his brother and hoped that the Forces (Armed) would not force his parents to drive more than 2,000 km to reach Bengaluru.

"I hope that the Forces will also be able to say 'they can't force them to drive 2,000+ km to get to Bengaluru," said Navtez.

 

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Evans C. Sumitra, Udupi/ New York, USA

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    RIP, Col Navjot Bal. Deepest condolences to his wife, children, parents and all his loved ones. My big salute to his parents who took such a journey by road in spite of all the hardships. That shows the love the parents had for his son till his last journey to eternal life.

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Syed, Udupi

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Govt, should have airlifted his parents to Bangaluru.

    DisAgree Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • James, Bendur

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Govt can airlift only MLA'S even in private jets for horse trading. For the rest they don't have budget.
    RIP soldier.

    DisAgree Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • myna, mysuru

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Very sad. His authorities in the Armed forces should have taken care of the parent's needs

    DisAgree Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anthony D'Silva, Udyavara / Fujairah UAE

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    May his soul rest in eternal peace AMEN. Condolences to his wife, children and parents.
    I wish government of India should have arranged helicopter to avoid this road journey under such stressful circumstances.

    DisAgree Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prashanth Poojary, Mumbai

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Respectful and tearful salute to Col Navjot Bal.
    RIP.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • DMBangera, Mangalore/Mumbai

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    R.I.P.

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hidnustani, Manipal/Dubai

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    May his soul ''Rest in Peace''

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    We are in your thoughts & prayers in these difficult times ...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Paul, mangalore

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    RIP Navojth
    What sad state.
    Govt should help his family ,atleast give information where his body is kept, hospital.
    A person who has severed the country this is how respect is given

    DisAgree [4] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangaluru

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    You should check the spellings in your message before posting. Sometimes minor mistakes give different aspect to your message altogether.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Cynthia, Kirem

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    May the soul of Col. Navjyoth rest in peace.. Amen. Condolences to his betraved family....🙏🙏🙏

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Shankar, Mangaluru
    Everyone is not PhD in English ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • vandana, Udupi

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    Dear Paul

    Please double-check before posting..He SERVED the country and not SEVERED..
    Arth ka anarth hota hai bhaisahab

    DisAgree [5] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Amit, Mangalore

    Sun, Apr 12 2020

    RIP Col. Navjoth, Condolences to the bereaved family.
    Dear Shankar Mangaluru and Vandana udupi, spelling mistakes are common while your auto type is on in the computer! You must have over sighted the spelling mistake of Cynthia, Kirem when she typed "betraved" which was Certainly by "auto type error " which we should not highlighted for any reason! People's heart would have cried, whoever read the news of Col. Navjoth demise , and his parents difficulties during the time of sorrow.
    Since Paul has written "Govt should help his family " is giving the complete Meaning, for those who understand "Samajne walon ko Ishara kafee "

    DisAgree [2] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Bengaluru: Parents of Col Navjot Bal undertake ardous journey to attend his funeral



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.