Bodies of three soldiers, among the 18 martyred in Sunday’s terror strike on an army camp at Uri in Baramulla district, hailing from Maharashtra were flown from Delhi to Nashik on Monday evening.
Bodies of three soldiers, among the 18 martyred in Sunday’s terror strike on an army camp at Uri in Baramulla district, hailing from Maharashtra were flown from Delhi to Nashik on Monday evening. The three bravehearts who lost their lives were Sandip Somnath Thok (24) from Nashik district, Lance Naik Chandrakant Shankar Galande from Satara and Uike Janrao from Amravati.
A special Indian Air Force plane brought their bodies to Ojhar air force station in Nashik on Monday. While Thok’s body was dispatched to his village in Nashik, those of Galande and Janrao’s were sent to Pune and Nagpur respectively to for their onward journey to their homes and likely cremation on Tuesday, a government source said.
Meanwhile, another soldier, identified as K Vikas Janardhan (27), from Yavatmal district succumbed to his injuries in a Delhi hospital on Monday, taking the toll of martyrs from Maharashtra to four. Thok was cremated with full military honours at Khadangali village in Sinnar tehsil on Monday. The handsome youth — survived by his parents, elder brother and two elder married sisters — was to get married this year. His father owns a four-acre farm.
Recalling Thok’s bravery, his cousin Ravindra said, “A few years ago, Thok had just joined the Army, when he saved two children from drowning in a pond in our village. While none dared to help the children, my brother jumped into the pond and rescued them. Since then he became the village’s braveheart.”
“Thok had promised his family of arriving on September 28. While he didn’t arrive, the tragic news of his death arrived,” said social worker Satish Kokate, a resident of Khadangali village.
Thok studied in Khadangali ZP Prathim Vidyalaya till his fourth standard and went on to complete his SSC from an English-medium school in nearby Wadangali village. The Maharashtra government has announced financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh to the families of martyrs from the state.
Lance Naik Galande from Jhansi village in Man Taluka of Satara district died in the attack from across the Line Of Control. His parents, wife Nisha and two children of 10-months and two years survive him. His two brothers, Keshav and Manjabhau, too, serve in the army and are posted at Punjab and Chennai respectively.
“We are proud that our brother gave up his life fighting for our country. We all will always remember him as a socially conscious person, who always tried his best to uplift the poor,” said Mr Keshav.
“I condemn the sudden attack by Pakistan that took so many lives. It is time our government launches attack on Pakistan to teach them lessons. After every attack, the government announces measures to curb the same, but nothing gets implemented,” he added.
Attacks by Pakistan continue to kill our people,” he added.
