A jawan from Wayanad was among the 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who died in a suicide terror attack in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The jawan was identified as V.V. Vasanthakumar, 38, son of Santha of Vazhakkandy at Pookode in the district. His father Vasudevan died around six months ago.
Vasanthakumar is survived by wife Sheena, daughter Anamika, and son Amardeep.
The jawan, who belonged to the Mullakuruma tribal community, joined the CRPF in 2001 after completing pre-degree. He belonged to the 82 Battalion of the CRPF.
He had earlier worked at Bhadrachalam in Telangana. Vasanthakumar came home on February 2 after he was promoted as havildar and returned to the Srinagar office last Friday.
He married Sheena, an employee at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, about 10 years ago.
People from all walks of life reached the house of the martyr near the campus at Lakkidi on Friday to console the bereaved family.
State honours
The body of the jawan would be received with State honours at the Karipur airport at 8.55 a.m. on Saturday, District Collector A.R. Ajayakumar told The Hindu .
The remains would be taken to Wayanad and kept at Government Lower Primary School at Lakkidi for the people to pay homage. The funeral would be held at his ancestral home at Mukkamkunnu, near Thrikkaipetta, in the district with State honours, Mr. Ajayakumar added.
