Udhampur station may be named after martyred soldier: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi: The Udhampur railway station in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be named after martyred Captain Tushar Mahajan, Union minister Jitendra Singh has said.

This was stated during the meeting Singh had with Tushar's parents who were here to receive the Shaurya Chakra (posthumous) on behalf of their son on Monday.

He said he has taken up the issue of naming the railway station at Udhampur after the name of Martyred Captain Tushar Mahajan and soon plans to discuss the matter with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, an official release said.

"Most of the formalities required for the naming of the railway station have already been completed, he said, and the procedure has been gone through different departments and ministries while the final call is to be taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs," it said.

Singh, the minister of state in Prime Minister's Office, is a Lok Sabha member from the Udhampur constituency.

Tushar had sacrificed his life in a counter-militancy operation while fighting terrorists in Pampore area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district early last year.

Singh said the nation is eternally indebted and no award or prize can ever repay for the supreme sacrifice of brave hearts like Tushar.

"It is because of these young boys that we are able to carry on with our daily routine in safe environs.

"These youngsters stay awake when we sleep, they remain empty stomach when we eat and they lay down their life so that we can remain alive," the Minister said.

Dev Raj Gupta, Tushar's father, thanked Singh for all the timely and prompt assistance provided by him following the sudden demise of his son in arranging the instant visa and travel documents for Tushar's elder brother who lives abroad, so that he could reach Udhampur to attend the last rites on time.