One year on, Pulwama martyr Sivachandran's son keeps asking about his father

Sivachandran’s wife was pregnant when he was killed in the attack in February last year...
A memorial built for CRPF trooper Sivachandran by his family at Karkudi village in Ariyalur  (Photo | EPS)
A memorial built for CRPF trooper Sivachandran by his family at Karkudi village in Ariyalur (Photo | EPS)

ARIYALUR: The four-month-old daughter of CRPF trooper Sivachandran (33), who died in the Pulwama terror attack last year, was christened Sivamathi as per her father’s wishes. Mother Gandhimathi’s heart still pounds lamenting he was not alive to hold his daughter even once.

Relatives said that he might have chosen the name Sivamathi, by joining the first half of his name with the second half of his wife’s name. The mother’s eyes well up whenever her son, three-year-old Sivamuniyan, asks about his father and wants to see him.

Sivachandran of Karkudi village in Ariyalur was among the 44 CRPF personnel who died in the attack on February 14, 2019. When he died, Gandhimathi was pregnant with Sivamathi. On Friday, Sivachandran’s family and villagers observed the first death anniversary by paying tribute to his portrait in his house.

His family has built a memorial for Sivachandran, with funds received as solatium from various quarters. The memorial has been built at a cost of Rs 10 lakh and is expected to be opened on February 15. Gandhimathi has been given a VAO job by the State government and been working for over 10 months. 

She told The New Indian Express, “Our family is still unable to overcome his loss. My son keeps on asking about his father and I cannot explain it to him. This worries me. Since he sacrificed his life for our country, we demand the district administration erect a statue or memorial pillar for him in the district headquarters.”

Sivachandran’s father Chinnayan said, “We have not yet recovered from this. It is heartening to know many youths of this village are now showing interest in joining the Army. We are very proud their aspiration was stimulated by my son.” 

Ariyalur Government Arts and Science College students lit candles and paid tribute to the 44 CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com