KOCHI: The demise of 34-year-old soldier Lance Naik Antony Sebastian K M has left the three-member family bereft, but it has not dimmed their desire to have another Army officer in the house. Antony’s wife Anna Diana Joseph, 28, wants their seven-year-old son Aidel to follow in his father’s footsteps.“I want to see him in Army uniform, though I will not force him. His father too would have been happy to see him as an army officer,” said Diana, with tears rolling down her cheeks.
The family, including mother Sheela, is awaiting the arrival of the body of the soldier who was martyred during an unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan army in the Krishna Ghati sector (Mendhar) on the Line of Control on Monday evening.
“When he called in the morning, he didn’t mention there being any issues at LOC. When I tried to contact him in the evening, the call wasn’t answered. I got a call around 7.30 pm that he had had an accident and was in the hospital. The Army person asked for a relative to call him back. Then I came to know my husband was no more,” said Diana, holding her son tight.
A pall of gloom descended over Udayamperoor and Tripunithura as the news of the demise spread. “He had planned to retire from service in 2017, but couldn’t do it for some reason,” said Lini, a cousin.
“He was excited as he had taken a decision to end his service by March next year. If he could have taken the decision earlier, we may not have lost him.”
Funeral today
Army sources confirmed the body of Antony will be brought to Kochi on Wednesday morning in an Indian Airlines aircraft. The body will be kept at his sister’s house at Udayamperoor for final respects. The funeral will be held at Muriyad near Irinjalakkuda by 4 pm.