KARAMUDI (GADAG DISTRICT): The last rites of Army Subedar Veeresh Kuratti, who was martyred while fighting militants in the Rampur section of Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday morning, was conducted with full state honours at his native village Karamudi in Gadag district on Saturday afternoon.
Kuratti’s mortal remains were brought to Konnur village of Naragund taluk from Belagavi on Saturday. Later, they were taken to Karamudi in a procession, which was attended by thousands of people, who raised slogans like “Veeresh, a daring soldier of our soil.”
Army officials accompanied the mortal remains, which was taken in a vehicle and villagers followed it to Karamudi village. Hundreds of schoolchildren started gathering at the burial ground since morning and they patiently waited till the body arrived at the ground and paid their tribute.
The entire village was grief-stricken and Kuratti’s relatives and childhood friends were inconsolable.
The mortal remains were kept near his house for public homage. Later, the body was shifted to the village centre next to the Government Higher Primary School, which was chosen as the venue for the burial. Villagers cleaned their entire village on Friday afternoon and were waiting for the arrival of mortal remains. On Friday, the district administration informed villagers that the mortal remains will arrive on Friday evening, but later it was deferred to Saturday.
District Minister C C Patil, who reached the village in the morning, looked after the preparations for the last rites. He also declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to kin of the subedar and said of the amount, Rs 1.5 lakh will be kept aside for his daughter’s education and Rs 50,000 for his son. He also assured of extending government facilities as soon as possible. Kuratti is survived by his wife, two children, mother and a younger brother. MP P C Gaddigoudar, former Ron MLA G S Patil, Gadag SP Srinath Joshi and other officials paid their last respects to the soldier.
He was big brother to all
Subedar Veeresh Kuratti was serving in the Alpha company of the 18th Battalion of Maratha Light Infantry. He was one of the leading guides of the team, which consists of 132 soldiers. “He was very friendly with all, hence was called ‘Anna’ by team members. Every soldier used to share their problems with Kuratti due to his closeness with them. He also used to guide newly-appointed staff with patience and instil confidence in them,” said Havaldar Veerayya Hiremath, who accompanied the body. Hiremath hails from Ramadurg in Belagavi district.
Service in different parts
Kuratti joined the Indian Army in 1990. He worked in Jammu and Kashmir most of the time of his service. He served in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2004-2007, J&K’s Naushera and Rajouri sectors from 2007-2009, Punjab’s Firozpur from 2010-2013, Assam from 2013-2015, Gujarat from 2015-2018 and moved to Uri sector in 2018.
He called his friend on December 25
Kuratti called his friend Somanagouda Sankanagoudar at 10.47 am on December 25 and talked about the village and his family. Half-an-hour later, Kuratti was shot on his face and martyred, said his friends from Karamudi.
Boxing champion
Kuratti was a boxing champion and he had participated in championships in other states and countries with his battalion, said Gadugeshprabhu Marigoudar, Kuratti’s childhood friend from Karamudi. Kuratti wanted to join the Army since his childhood. He used to express his desire to join the Army with his friends while they went to the pond for swimming in their childhood.
Dream to become
a farmer remains unfulfilled
Kuratti, a farmer’s son who joined the Army, had a dream of becoming a farmer after his retirement. He had told his family that he would start farming in their field from March. His brother Basavaraj, who is taking care of their farm, was waiting for his brother’s arrival, but fate had different plans. Kuratti’s mother Kashavva was inconsolable.