KOCHI: The mortal remains of an Army officer from Kerala who died fighting militants in Nagaland were brought home on Thursday after 24 years.
Sec. Lt E T Joseph was killed in fighting with militants in Phek district of Nagaland on June 12, 1992. He was then 21 years old.
Only his father, Subedar Major A T Joseph, since retired, could attend the funeral service when the young officer was laid to rest at a place called Chakabama near the Army camp where he had been serving. The father was then serving at Shillong.
The process of shifting the remains to officer Lt. Joseph's native place of Kanjiramattom near Ernakulam began with his batchmates at the Indian Military Academy [1991) contacting the family following a get-together for the silver jubilee of their graduation.
When the IMA alumni contacted the family, Joseph's mother Thressiamma expressed a wish to visit the place where her son was laid to rest. The Army initiated proceedings and the slain officer's parents and sisters Jessy and Jiji traveled to Nagaland to visit the tomb. Joseph's remains were then exhumed with full religious and military hounours in the presence of local military officers and his batchmates from IMA.
Today, when officer Josheph's remains touched down at the Kochi airport at 1.30 pm, military officers were at hand to place a wreath for the returning hero. This was followed by a guard of honour.
The funeral will be held at 11.30 am tomorrow at the cementery of the Holy Cross Church at Kanjiramattom.