Karnal: Army Naik Sher Singh Cremated with State Honours; Dispute Erupts Over Woman Claiming to be His Wife

Karnal (Haryana):

The mortal remains of 32-year-old Army Naik Sher Singh reached his ancestral village, Budhanpur Bangar in Karnal district, on Wednesday night. He was cremated with full state honours amid deep grief and solemn tributes from family members and fellow villagers.

Naik Sher Singh passed away on October 20 during treatment at the Command Hospital in Panchkula. He had suffered critical injuries on October 12 after his motorcycle collided with a bicycle on the Bhadso road while he was home on leave. The cyclist from Butankhedi was also injured in the incident. Following a complaint from the cyclist, police launched an inquiry into the accident.

A Decorated Military Career

Sher Singh joined the Indian Army in 2014 and completed his training at the Artillery Base in Ahmedabad. He was subsequently posted with the 13 Field Regiment in Roorkee and attained the rank of Naik. Owing to his proficiency in computer operations, he was actively serving as an operator at Raiwala on the Rishikesh Road in Uttarakhand.

He leaves behind his grieving father Lakhwinder Singh, mother Sukhwinder, elder brother Gurdeep, and two sisters.

Controversy Over Marriage and Army Benefits

While the village mourns the loss of the young soldier, a serious controversy has surfaced regarding his marital status. Sher Singh’s family maintained that he was unmarried. However, following his demise, a woman named Raj Rani came forward presenting marriage documentation from 2024, claiming to be his lawful wife.

The soldier's family and the local Kadrabad Panchayat have strongly contested this claim, raising questions about the authenticity and circumstances of the marriage. In an official communication sent to the Subedar of the Indian Army unit in Raiwala, the Panchayat requested that all military funds, benefits, and salary disbursements related to Naik Sher Singh be frozen pending an impartial investigation.

According to the Panchayat’s representation:

• The claimant, aged around 45 to 50, was reportedly married to a resident named Sundar Singh approximately 25 years ago and has two sons from that marriage.

• Sundar Singh reportedly passed away in October 2025.

• The Panchayat alleged that if the purported court marriage with Sher Singh took place in October 2024—while her first husband was still alive and without a documented legal divorce—the validity of the union remains highly questionable.

The family and village representatives have urged authorities to conduct a thorough probe before releasing any service benefits or army funds.