THRISSUR/PALAKKAD: Junior Warrant Officer A Pradeep, who lost his life in the chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu last Wednesday, was cremated with full military and state honours on the premises of his house at Ponnukkara in Thrissur district on Saturday. Pradeep, 37, was deputed as a flight gunner during CDS Bipin Rawat’s journey to Wellington in Ooty.
His mortal remains were brought to the Sulur airbase in Coimbatore from New Delhi in a special flight on Saturday morning. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan accompanied the body of Pradeep from Delhi while MP T N Prathapan and Air Force officials received it in Sulur.
Later, the body was taken by road to the Walayar border, where ministers K Rajan (revenue), K Krishnankutty (electricity) and K Radhakrishnan (parliamentary affairs) received it. Around 12.45 pm, District Collector Haritha V Kumar received the body at the district border of Vaniyampara. It was brought to the Puthur Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, where he had studied, around 3pm. Thousands paid last respects to him. Cremation was held around 5.30 pm.