A Braveheart never dies

Indian Army soldier Mohd. Firoz Khan, who died in Pakistan’s shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday, is given a tearful farewell and buried with military honours

Nasreen Fatima, left, cries during the funeral ceremony of her husband Indian army soldier Firoz Khan, as she looks out from the window of her home in Hyderabad on Thursday. Photo: AP

The city bade a tearful adieu to martyred soldier Mohd. Firoz Khan on Thursday. Businesses and commercial establishments voluntarily shut down in the Nawab Sahab Kunta area of Old City to pay respects to the soldier who died in Pakistan’s shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people from various parts of the city converged at a local burial ground where the jawan was buried with full military honours on Thursday.

Procession

The funeral prayers were held at the ‘Masjid-e-Saliheen’ after which his body was draped in the national flag and taken out in procession led by a military band.

Onlookers raised slogans denouncing Pakistan and praising the martyr.

Women and children too participated in the procession by climbing on to the rooftops to have a final glimpse of the body of the brave soldier. Before burial, the martyr was offered a gun salute by Army personnel while Additional DCP South, K. Babu Rao offered the wreath on behalf of the State government along with other officials of the armed forces.

Labour Minister D. Nagender, YSRC president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, BJP leaders Bandaru Dattatreya and G. Kishan Reddy, MIM leaders Asaduddin Owaisi, Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ahmed Pasha Quadri and Mohd Moazam Khan and Mayor Majid Hussain visited the house of the slain army man and offered condolences to the family.

The leaders demanded government to take all necessary steps to extend every possible assistance to the family and also provide adequate ex-gratia. They also called upon the Central Government to take strong measures to prevent frequent skirmishes at the LoC.

Mr. Akbaruddin Owaisi offered to take the responsibility of providing education to the three children of the slain army man.

IANS reportrs: Earleir, heart-rending scenes were witnessed at Firoz’s house. His mother Razia Begum and wife Nasreen Fatima were inconsolable.

Many were in tears after seeing his four—year—old daughter Afshin Fatima, two—year—old son Arshad Khan and eight—month—old daughter Aisha Fatima.

Firoz has been serving with the Madras Regiment for 12 years.

Firoz Khan had last visited his family on the occasion of Eid—ul—Fitr two months ago.

According to family members, he spoke to his wife over phone a couple of days ago to express his inability to come home on Eid and asked her to buy new clothes for the children.