THRISSUR: Neighbours of Indian Air Force Junior Warrant Officer Pradeep A, who died in the chopper crash at Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, recalled him as a humble and loving person. While everyone struggled to hold the tears back, his father Arakkal Radhakrishnan, who is on oxygen support at home, was unaware of the untimely death of Pradeep.
Since Radhakrishnan is ill, there were fewer people gathered in front of Pradeep’s house at Ponnukkara in Thrissur district on Thursday. Neighbour Jyotsana said, “It was only a week back Pradeep and his family, consisting of wife Sreelakhshmi, a native of Kunnamkulam, and two children, had returned after visiting home. Before leaving, Pradeep had visited us and shared his concerns about his father’s health. Though he worked in a good rank in the Air Force, he never had any airs about himself and always behaved with us as an ordinary person.”
She added that 37-year-old Pradeep had written an exam recently for promotion in his service, which was to end in two years. Pradeep had planned to construct a house for his family before he retired from the current service. “Radhakrishnan fell ill about five months back. He suffered acute respiratory difficulties two weeks back and had spent almost a week in a hospital during which Pradeep and his family visited him. Before he returned to the workplace, Pradeep had promised to come on a month’s leave to look after his father,” shared Jyotsana.
Pradeep’s parents were daily wage workers, but his hard work and ambition paid off when he got selected to the Air Force in 2004. Puthur panchayat authorities requested the service of the primary health centre’s doctor to take care of Pradeep’s father in the present situation. The doctor examined Radhakrishnan on Thursday and assured the family of all assistance. Discussions were also held about shifting Radhakrishnan to a hospital before conveying the news of Pradeep’s death to him.
Representing the state government, Revenue Minister K Rajan visited the bereaved family on Thursday and expressed his condolences. “All arrangements will be made to receive Pradeep’s mortal remains here,” he said. “From the words of local people, it was evident Pradeep was a wonderful person who rose from the rural life to become an Air Force officer,” he added. District Collector Haritha V Kumar, who visited the house, said the district administration was waiting for an official communication regarding when the mortal remains would be brought to the village.
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