The family of Flight Lieutenant Shrikanth Madagi is yet to get a closure from the Indian Air Force (IAF) with regard to how he died.
Madagi’s last rites, conducted at the burial ground in Wilson Garden, saw his relatives, friends and colleagues bidding him a tearful goodbye on Monday morning.
“We have not yet received any official confirmation from the IAF with regard to how he died. We have not really had the time to follow up with them, although we would like to know exactly how he died. We will pursue it over the next couple of days now that the funeral is over,” said Radha Madagi, Shrikanth’s elder sister.
His father, Chandra Praksh Madagi, broke down as he described how hard Shrikanth worked in the IAF. “I am very proud of him. Initially, he did the tests without really being sure whether or not he will actually get into the IAF. But he passed the tests. He worked very hard,” he said.
His relatives recounted how the news of his death was a shock to them. “We were expecting to see him in May. His younger brother (Sridhar Madagi) was undergoing a training in Japan and had called him to tell him he was coming home in May and wanted to know if Srikanth could also make it. His mother even spoke to him on Thursday morning and enquired about his health. The news of his death was shocking,” said Radha.
Recounting how Srikanth was always busy in the IAF, she said: “He was working very hard and every time I called him, he would speak for a few minutes before saying he was late and had to go to attend to something.”
His friends in the Air Force remember Shrikanth as a very quiet and professional person. “He was my junior and we used to dine and play games in the Air Force together. What I remember most about him is his professionalism. He was determined to do well and worked very hard,” he said.
‘Not Caused by Cross Border Firing’
Wing Commander Galway, IAF’s PRO, said Srikanth Madagi’s parents had been informed of their son’s death according to the usual protocol followed by the IAF where a senior officer from the base informs the parents about the loss of life.
“It is not a cross border firing that caused Srikanth Madagi’s death. This, we can confirm. An inquiry into what happened that day is in process and we will share the findings of the inquiry with the parents once it is completed,” he added.