Galwan Valley martyr Havildar Palani interred with military honours in Ramanathapuram

Ramanathapuram: The mortal remains of K Palani, Havildar in the Indian Army killed in the violent faceoff on the Indo-China border in Galwan valley in Ladakh late on Monday, was interred in his native village of Kadukkalur near Thiruvadaanai in Ramanathapuram district with full military honours on Thursday.

Palani's ten-year-old son Prasanna did the last rites for his father as his family members, the entire village and senior officers of the Indian Army, the Tamil Nadu police and the district administration laid wreaths in paying floral tributes before the braveheart Havildar's body was buried in his family land.

On Wednesday past midnight when Palani's body was brought by air to the Madurai airport, representatives of the three wings of the Indian Armed forces and various organisations paid their homage at the airport where his portrait and the coffin was kept for some time. Then it was moved to his native Kadukkalur by 0315 am on Thursday.

Palani's relatives led by his wife Mrs Vanathidevi broke down and wailed loudly as his body was taken out of the coffin in his house, even as people streamed in since the early hours to pay their homage to this "brave son of India". The Ramanathapuram collector, K. Veeraragharao, consoling Palani's wife handed over the cheque for Rs.20 lakh, the solatium amount announced by the Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami, to her.

Later, Palani's body was taken in a procession from his house to the place where his body was to be interred and the last rites were performed. Before lowering Palani's body into the pit, an Army official took the Indian flag placed on his body and handed it over to his wife as a mark of respect and honour.