Agniveer Murli Naik: A Hero’s Last Stand at the LoC

In the quiet hours before dawn on May 9, the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir echoed with the sound of gunfire and mortar shells. Amid the chaos along the Line of Control (LoC), 22-year-old Murli Naik—an Indian Army Agniveer from a small village in Andhra Pradesh—stood at his post, doing what he was trained to do: protect his country.

When the smoke cleared, Murli was gone.

He wasn’t just a soldier. He was a son, a brother, a friend—and the pride of his village.
Murli grew up in a modest home in Srikakulam district. The eldest of three siblings, he worked hard on his family’s small farm, and harder still to chase a dream he held close to his heart: serving the Indian Army.

In 2022, his dream came true when he was selected as an Agniveer under the new Agnipath scheme. He wore the olive green with pride, aware that he was among the first of a new generation of soldiers.

His father, Ramesh Naik, recalls, “He would salute even when watching the Republic Day parade on TV. He always wanted this life. And he got it. He was so proud when he called home the day he got his uniform.”
Murli was posted with the 851 Light Regiment in Kupwara, one of the most volatile regions along the LoC. On May 9, at around 3:30 a.m., Pakistani forces began heavy shelling. Mortars rained down on forward posts. Murli, deployed near the frontline, was hit during the unprovoked attack.

He was just 22. His service, barely two and a half years old. His courage? Timeless.

The Indian Army, in its statement, honored him as a brave heart who laid down his life in the highest traditions of duty and service.
Back home, Murli’s death sent shockwaves through the community. Neighbors gathered in disbelief. School children held candles. Elders wept openly.

His body arrived wrapped in the Tricolour. His mother collapsed upon seeing the casket. His younger siblings stood stiffly by, trying to be strong, like he always was. The entire village turned out to walk with him one last time, chanting: “Murli Naik Amar Rahe!”

At the cremation ground, his mother lit the funeral pyre. The Army offered a 21-gun salute. In that moment, grief turned to pride.
Murli’s story brings the spotlight back on the Agnipath scheme, launched to recruit youth for short-term service. Questions are now being raised about how the system will support families of fallen Agniveers.

Lt. Gen. (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said,

“A soldier’s sacrifice doesn’t depend on years served. Murli Naik should be remembered as a martyr—equal in every way.”

Whether an Agniveer or a veteran, the loss of any soldier is a wound on the heart of the nation.
Murli Naik didn’t live long, but he lived with purpose. He chose to serve, to stand at the border when most sleep peacefully in their homes. In life, he was a quiet son of the soil. In death, he became a symbol of courage.

His family has asked for one thing: that his name be remembered—not just as a statistic, but as a young man who loved his country more than his own life.


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