Thanjavur/ Madurai: At least two victims of the shocking avalanches that hit an army patrol party and a camp in Bandipora’s Gurez valley, 200-km from Srinagar in the last two days, are from Tamil Nadu, one each from Thanjavur and Madurai districts respectively.
Ilavarasan (27), a soldier in 51 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) battalion of the Indian Army, was killed in the avalanches. He hails from Kannanthankudi Keelaiyur, a tiny village near Orathanadu in Thanjavur district.
His father, R. Bhoominathan (57) received the news from the Army headquarters about his son’s death on Thursday evening. Son of an agriculture worker, Ilavarasan, an Economics graduate, had joined the Army in 2012.
The other soldier hailing from the state, who died in the avalanches, is Sundara Pandian (27), from Pallakapatti village in Madurai district. His family sources said that he had spoken to them on January 25 evening stating that there was heavy snowfall at his place of duty. Meanwhile, Army officials contacted his family on Friday and informed about his death. Sundra Pandian joined the army in 2010.
His pregnant wife Sugapriya was shocked to hear about his death.
