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Updated: Feb 16, 2019 15:51 IST

Even as families of the nearly 40 CRPF soldiers try to come to grips with the tragedy, which turned their world upside down on Thursday, one of the killed jawans - head constable Naseer Ahmed of Dodasan Bala village in Rajouri district - had celebrated his birthday at the CRPF’s transit camp at Channi Rama in Jammu on Wednesday, a day before the dastardly attack at Lethpora.

Born on February 13, 1973, Ahmed, deployed with CRPF’s 76th battalion, had turned 46 on Wednesday.

“It is a tradition in the CRPF family. Our jawans, who are away from their families, celebrate their birthdays and other important occasions with their colleagues,” said CRPF spokesman Ashish Kumar Jha.

Also read: Proud of my father, says killed CRPF soldier’s daughter

Keeping in line with the tradition, Ahmed celebrated his birthday with his colleagues at the Channi Rama transit camp, he added.

“An eerie silence prevails at his home in Dodasan Bala village,” said a local.

Also read: ‘Govt has zero tolerance over terrorism’: Rajnath Singh on Pulwama attack

“In a state of shock, his family and relatives in the village have only one question to those at the helm of affairs: for how long will soldiers continue to be killed by terrorists and every time they die, the country will just mourn and the government comes out with strong condemnations,” he said quoting Naseer Ahmed’s elder brother Siraj-ud-Din.

Rajouri district police chief Yougal Manhas said the braveheart is survived by his wife Shazia Kousar, daughter Falak, 8, son Kashif, 6, five elder sisters (all married) and an elder brother Siraj-ud-Din, a head constable in Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police.

The officer said that Ahmed’s father Faquir Mohammed and mother had passed away some time back.

His wife and children will reach their native village later today from Jammu, he said.