GUWAHATI: An Indian Air Force officer from Arunachal Pradesh was among the 26 people massacred by terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir on Tuesday.
Corporal Tage Hailyang (30), who was posted at an IAF base in Srinagar, had gone to Pahalgam along with his wife on a vacation. The couple got married only last December.
Hailyang hailed from the Tajang village in Arunachal’s Ziro. His father Tage Tade is the headman of the village.
His brother Tage Mali, who is in the Army and currently posted in Srinagar, said they received the sad news soon after the incident.
“She (Hailyang’s wife) called up at around 3 pm yesterday and informed us of the incident. The two of them got married last December,” the brother said.
According to him, Hailyang joined the IAF 8-9 years ago following graduation in humanities.
He said the mortal remains would be flown to Guwahati in an aircraft and from there, taken to Arunachal in a helicopter. When reports last came in, the body was still in Srinagar.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu mourned the death.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Corporal Tage Hailyang of the Indian Air Force, a brave son of Arunachal Pradesh who hailed from Tajang village in Lower Subansiri. While visiting Pahalgam with his wife, his life was cruelly taken in a senseless act of terror,” Khandu posted on X.
“He served the nation with courage and honour, and his untimely death is a great loss not only to his family but to the entire country. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, especially his wife who survived this horrific incident. May they find strength and solace in this unimaginable time of grief. We will always remember Corporal Hailyang for his service and sacrifice,” he further wrote.