Tearful adieu to martyred soldier
KANNUR: Several thousand mourners from far and wide on Monday paid their last respects to Jawan Naik C Ratheesh (35),who along with two fellow soldiers was killed in the terrorist strike on an Army convoy at Pampore in Srinagar. Prominent persons, including Ports Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally; P K Sreemathy,MP; E P Jayarajan,MLA; CPM district chief P Jayarajan; DCC chief Satheeshan Pacheni; BJP district president P Sathya Prakash and BJP leader P K Krishna Das were among those, who paid homage to Ratheesh,when his body arrived at his native Kotalipram near Mattannur.
Defence Security Corps (DSC) and 122 Infantry Battalion personnel and revenue officials, including District Collector Mir Muhammed Ali were among those who paid their last respects, when the body was kept at the ground near Ratheesh’s residence.
And his funeral took place at 3.30 pm with full state and military honours.
Earlier, the body of Ratheesh reached Karipur Airport from New Delhi around 9.30 am and it was taken to his house by road. A condolence meeting was held later in the evening. Besides, a hartal was observed in Koodali panchayat and Mattannur town as a mark of respect to the departed Jawan. Ratheesh, who had been an armyman for the last 15 years, belonged to 44 Field Regiment and was deputed to 35 Rashtriya Rifles in Srinagar. He is survived by wife Jyothi of Kuttiyatoor and six month-old son Kasinath and mother Omana. His father P Raghavan Nambiar had passed away when Ratheesh was a toddler.