THENI: Two soldiers from Tamil Nadu were among the four killed in a firing incident at Bathinda military station in Punjab on Wednesday morning.
The two soldiers from the state who died in the firing incident have been identified as R Kamalesh (24) of Salem and J Yogeshkumar (24) of Theni.
Troops belonging to Indian Army’s 10 Corps were stationed at the camp at the time of the attack. Sagar Banne (25) and Santosh M Nagaral (25) were the other two jawans martyred in the incident.
According to an agency report, which quoted a police FIR, a jawan saw two unidentified men in white kurta-pyjama, their faces and heads covered with cloth, coming out of the barracks after the firing. One of them was carrying an INSAS rifle and the other an axe, the jawan said. The suspects went towards a forested area on seeing the jawan, the FIR said.
A pall of gloom descended on Panankadu near Nangavalli in Salem district on Thursday as villagers and relatives mourned Kamalesh’s death. Kamalesh, the second son of Ravi, a weaver, joined the force in 2018. The Economics graduate had visited his hometown a month ago. According to sources, the martyr’s body is expected to reach the village on Friday.
J Yogeshkumar(24), the second victim from Tamil Nadu, was from Munnanpatti village in Uthamapalayamarea near Devaram in Theni district. His mortal remains will reach the village early on Saturday. Yogeshkumar, son of Jayaraj and Rathinam, hails from an agricultural family. Yogeshkumar completed his under-graduation from an aided college in Usilampatti. He has been posted in Punjab for the past three years. Theni Collector R V Shajeevana and villagers will pay their respects to Yogeshkumar’s body on Saturday.