Feb 17 (IANS): The family of Major Chitresh Singh Bisht were preparing for his marriage on March 7. But in a cruel twist of fate, they on Sunday were readying for his cremation.

A day after Major Bisht, 31, lost his life while defusing an improvised explosive device (IED) along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a pal of gloom descended on the Nehru Colony residence of the slain Major.

Major Bisht was expected to return home on February 28 for wedding. The body arrived at the Military Hospital here on Sunday. It will be taken to his home on Monday morning for cremation.

Joyous hullabaloo has been replaced by the cries of the grief-stricken family members.

"What an irony!. He was supposed to come home for marriage. Now we are waiting for his body," said his father S.S. Bist, a retired police inspector.

The senior Bisht had already distributed most invitation cards for his son's marriage and also visited Pipali, his village, in the Kumaon region earlier this month to invite villagers and relatives for the marriage.

Major Bisht was spear-heading a bomb disposal unit when the IED exploded at the Naushera sector.

Family members and neighbours called Major Bisht a brave and sincere officer from the Corps of Engineers.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said, "I salute the supreme sacrifice made by Major Bisht in the service of the nation and send my heartfelt condolences to the martyr's family. The entire country stands with them in this hour of grief."

Governor Baby Rani Maurya and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat also condoled Major Bisht's death.