Updates: Funerals of Uri soldiers held in Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan

Updates: Funerals of Uri soldiers held in Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan. The mortal remains of soldiers killed in a militant attack in Kashmir’s Uri were laid to rest on Tuesday amid an outpouring of grief and a storm of patriotic slogan shouting.

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra’s Satara, a pall of gloom descended in Jashi village as Lance Naik Chandrakant Galande was laid to rest with full state honours. The jawan was bid farewell amid chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ by grief-stricken villagers.

Galande, a jawan belonging to the 6 Bihar regiment, was the youngest among three siblings, all of whom joined the army. “The entire village is proud of the Galande family which sent all three sons to the nation’s service,” said Abhiram Jedhe, a villager from Jashi. Galande and four other soldiers from Maharashtra -- Sepoy Sandip Somnath Thok, Sepoy Panjab Janrao Uike, Sepoy Vikas Janardhan Kulmethe and Lance Naik G Shankar-- were among the 18 soldiers killed by militants during a dawn raid at an Army camp in Uri.  In Jashi, villagers said the attack had strengthened their resolve to send more men to the army. “Such incidents won’t deter us. We will send more and more youngsters to the army so that they can fight with Pakistan,” said Shankar Galande, the slain soldier’s father.

The entire village turned up for the final rites. Three state ministers -- Girish Bapat, Vijay Shivtare and Mahadeo Jankar -- were also present.

Uttar Pradesh

Funeral ceremonies of other dead soldiers are also underway in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur and Sant Kabir Nagar villages. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs 20 lakh for the families of soldiers from Uttar Pradesh.

Kolkata 

Villagers in Jamuna Balia village in west Kolkata waited for the body of slain soldier Gangadhar Dalai, which was lead by an army band. Villagers of Jamuna Balia in west Kolkata wait on a verandah to witness the funeral procession of soldier Gangadhar Dalai, who was killed in a militant attack in Uri, Kashmir. (AP) 

An Indian army band leads the funeral procession of Indian army soldier Gangadhar Dalai, who was killed in a militant attack in Uri, Kashmir. (AP)

Bihar

In Bihar’s Gaya district, an emotional Mathura Yadav, father of Naik S K Vidarthi, said he won’t let any of his other sons join the Indian army, if the government fails to take action on the Uri attack.

“Pakistan should be given strict punishment. If the government fails to take stern action, I will never let any of my sons join army again,” he told ANI. Vidarthi’s body reached the Gaya International airport early morning today. Jagnarayan Singh of Raktu village in Bihar’s Bhojput district said they were proud of their son, Havildar Ashok Kumar Singh, for his sacrifice.

“We are old now but the news of my son’s martyrdom is a matter of pride. Earlier, our older son Kamta Singh too was martyred; now another son has died,” said Singh.

A tableau of emotions played out in Baddha village in Kaimur district of Bihar at Sepoy Rakesh Singh’s funeral. In a show of pride and support, villagers thronged the venue, hanging from their balconies to get a last glimpse of Singh. A miltary parade honoured Singh, before his last rites.

Jharkand

The last rites of Sepoy Javra Munda, a native of Jharkand’s Khunti district were performed in his native Meral village. Friends and family members described Munda as hard-working and eager to serve the nation.

Rajasthan

In Rajasthan’s Rajawa village, grief-stricken family members of Havaldar Nimb Singh Rawat mourned his death. Rawat’s body, draped in the tricolour, arrived at the Udaipur late Monday evening and was then brought to this native village.