Karnataka: Heroes welcome for Siachen martyrs

Bengaluru/Mysuru: The martyrs of Siachen returned home Monday and were received by their grieving families, which had clearly not anticipated such a homecoming for them.

The aircraft carrying the bodies of seven brave soldiers landed at the HAL airport at  7.12 pm. While bodies of  three soldiers were offloaded at the airport in Bengaluru,  the rest were shifted to another aircraft   taking them to Chennai, Madurai and Trivandrum.

The mood was sombre and respectful as the bodies of sepoy Mahesha PN from HD Kote, Mysruru,  subedar Nagesha TT from Tejur, Hassan and sepoy Rama Murthy N from Gudisatana Palli village in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu ,  all from the Madras Regiment of the  Indian Army, were received at the airport.

Subedar Nagesh’s wife, Asha looked weak but stood strong beside the body of her husband. Sepoy Mahesha’s mother, Mangala, was also calm in her grief. “I have lost my son but I am proud of him,”  she said. The 29 year old  had promised his family that he would get married after he returned from Siachen. “We were looking for a girl for him but he told us that he would only think about marriage after Siachen,” said his cousin Sandesh.

While Rama Murthy’s body was received by a few relatives,  his wife Sumita  chose to wait for  it back home. “We were married for four years and have no children. I don’t know what to do and what to look forward to now,” she said, speaking to Deccan Chronicle over the phone.

Participating in the grief of the families were   Bengaluru Development minister,  K.J . George, member of parliament, PC Mohan and MLA , Arvind Limbavalli besides senior  Army officials like SPS Katia, Lt General, commanding officer, ASC , who arrived at the airport to receive the bodies. Also present were  80 members of the parachute regiment, 54 members of ASC South, and 94 members of ASC North.

Sepoy Mahesh’s remains reach Mysuru
The mortal remains of Sepoy Mahesh P.N., who was among the 10 soldiers who died after being hit by an avalanche in Siachen, arrived in the city. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will pay last respects to the soldier at the Government Guesthouse in Mysuru on Tuesday morning.

The soldier’s body that was received by the district administration was kept at the mortuary of Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute. It will be kept in state at the Government Guesthouse for the public to pay their last respects from 7.30 am to 8.30 am, and later at the Government Junior College Grounds between 9.45 am and 10.45 am.

It will then be taken to Pashupathi village in K.R. Nagar taluk, the hometown of Sepoy Mahesh’s father, and will be kept for public viewing from 1 pm to 2 pm. The last rites will be performed at 2 pm at 20 guntas of land that belongs to Sepoy Mahesh’s family in the village.