Just as Sinha was to return to Bihar for his daughter’s wedding arrangements, another slain soldier, Hemraj Meena of Rajasthan, had promised his wife Madhubala that he would return in 20 days and take the family on vacation. The 43-year-old from Vinod Kalan village, Kota, was part of the CRPF’s 61st Battalion. After completing his Bachelor of Arts, he joined the CRPF when he was 25. His parents work as labourers on a farm and he was the first of six children.