Mortal remains of soldier killed in clash with China laid to rest in T.N.

Emotionally charged villagers, leaders pay homage to Palani at Kadukalur in Ramanathapuram

The mortal remains of K.Palani, havildar, being laid to rest at Kadukalur, his native village in Ramanathapuram district, on Thursday with full military honour. Photo: L. Balachandar

The mortal remains of Indian Army soldier Palani, who was killed in a “violent stand-off” with the Chinese Army in Galwan Valley, was laid to rest at his native village Kadukalur in Ramanathapuram with full military honours on Thursday.

The body, which was air-lifted from Chandigarh, reached Madurai airport on Wednesday night.

Paying tributes, military officers, senior bureaucrats and elected representatives laid wreaths following which the body was taken to the native village past midnight.

In Ramanathapuram, the villagers were emotionally charged when they had a glimpse of the body, which was wrapped in the tricolour.

District Collector K.Veera Raghava Rao, Lok Sabha MP Nawaz Kani, MLA Karunas and Sathan Kumar paid homage by placing wreaths.

On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, the District Collector handed over a cheque for ₹20 lakh to the legal heirs as solatium.

The 10-year-old son of the soldier, performed the rituals aside, while the military personnel laid the body to rest with gun salute.

It was an emotional moment, when Vanathi Devi, wife of the slain soldier, was given the body wrapped in the tri-colour by the military officers.