The bodies of Lance Naik G. Shanker and Sepoy Sandeep Thok of the 6 Bihar Regiment, who were killed battling terrorists in the Uri attack, arrived in their native villages on Monday.
A special plane carrying the mortal remains of three bravehearts from Maharashtra — Shanker, Thok and Sepoy Uike Janrao —arrived at Nashik’s Ozar airport around 7 p.m.
The body of Thok was taken to his native village Khadangali in Nashik’s Sinnar Tehsil, while that of Shanker was taken to his ancestral village Jashi in Satara by road.
Sepoy Janrao’s body was taken by the same plane to Amravati.
Son of an onion farmer, Sandeep Thok’s kin and friends recalled him being a tenacious youth.
Staving off tears, his family reminisced the sheer determination of the 25-year-old to enter the Army despite failing to clear the Army entrance exam several times. He finally entered the Army in 2014 and was assigned with the 6 Bihar Regiment.
“He cleared his entrance in the eleventh attempt. Such was his determination. He never let go of something once he had set his mind to secure it,” recalled his older brother Yogesh Thok.
Fifth soldierLike Satara district, Sinnar Taluk holds a place of pride and sacrifice in the annals of the Army as Sandeep Thok is the fifth soldier hailing from the taluk to have given his life while serving his country.
“He [Sandeep] was the youngest in the family ... he was due to get married soon. But instead of a happy ceremony, we now receive his body ... we are simply shattered,” said a grief-stricken Somnath Thok, Sandeep’s father.
The sleepy village of Khadangalli, with a populace of little more than 2,000, has sent 10 of its youths to the Army.
The last rites of the three martyrs are expected to be performed on Tuesday in their home towns.
