A pall of gloom descended at the Vijayawada International Airport as the bodies of the three army jawans — M.R. Krishna Reddy, S. Nagaraju and Subhan Khan — who died in Ladakh, arrived here on Monday.
The bodies were flown from Delhi to Vijayawada aboard a special Army aircraft.
Risaldar Muthumalla R. Krishna Reddy, a native of Kalvapalli village in Racherla mandal of Prakasam district, CFN Sadaraboina Nagaraju of Chevendra village in Krishna district, and Subhan Khan of Bapatla, were swept away along with two other soldiers of the Indian Army on June 29 while crossing a river on a T-72 Tank near Daulat Beg Oldie in Eastern Ladakh, along the Line of Actual Control with China.
Family members, officers of various regiments from the Army, Navy and Air Force, and officials from the Police, Revenue, Airport and Protocol departments received the bodies of the deceased soldiers at the Vijayawada airport.
Major Deepak Sarma, ADC to the Governor, Sandeep Yadav of the 52nd Armoured Regiment, Major Sudhir Sharma of the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, Lt. Ankur Dahiya, 61st Medium Regiment and Sainik Welfare Director Brigadier V. Venkat Reddy were among those who paid floral tributes to the Army personnel.
The Army jawans reversed their guns as a mark of respect for the deceased soldiers. Airport Director M. Lakshmikantha Reddy, Gudivada RDO P. Padmavathi, NTR District Sainik Welfare Officer Dr. K. Kalyana Veena, Pedana Tahsildar R. Rambabu, Gannavaram MRO N.S. Pavan Kumar and others placed wreaths and paid tributes to the slain Army personnel.
“The bodies were shifted to their native villages. The final rites will be performed with official honours and we will attend the funeral,” Mr. Sandeep Yadav told The Hindu.
Published - July 01, 2024 07:08 pm IST
