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In Pune, family of ex-army officer killed in Gaza awaits his mortal remains
The 46-year-old officer was killed in the Rafah region of Gaza on Monday after his vehicle came under attack
Pune: The last rites of the former Indian army officer will be held in Pune two days after his body is flown via Cairo, said the family members of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (retd), who was killed in Gaza on Monday. This is for the first time an international staff member of the international agency has been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Kale joined the United Nationals as a Security Coordination Officer two months ago. He is survived by his wife Amrita, son Vedant and daughter Radhika.
The 46-year-old officer was killed in the Rafah region of Gaza on Monday after his vehicle came under attack. HT spoke to the family members of the deceased officer. His brother, Group Captain Vishal Kale, is a senior officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF), and his cousin, Colonel Ameya Kale, serves as an officer in the army.
Ameya, when contacted, said, “We are in touch with the embassy and other government departments. The date and time of the last rites will be decided by the family. It has been unanimously decided by the entire family not to speak more right now as we are in a state of mourning and grief-stricken”.
Waibhav tragically lost his life en route to a hospital in the Rafah of Gaza in Palestine after his vehicle came under fire on Monday.
He recently relocated to Pune and began his role as a security service coordinator with the UN three weeks prior, said the family members to HT on Tuesday.
Also Read: Shots that hit ex-Indian Army officer’s vehicle in Rafah fired from a tank: UN
According to his brother-in-law, Wing Commander (Retd) Prasant Karde, the final rites of the ex-army officer will take place in Pune after 48 hours following the transportation of his remains from Cairo, Egypt.
Karde, a senior commander with IndiGo, said that Col Kale was travelling in a vehicle displaying the United Nations flag when it was attacked.
Waibhav originally hailed from Nagpur and attended Somalwar High School in the city. The former infantry officer chose to join the UN to advance his career and engage in humanitarian missions, Karde told HT.
While Waibhav tragically succumbed to his gunshot wounds following the attack, another officer who was in the vehicle is in critical condition and receiving medical care. Waibhav’s remains are being transported from Cairo and will arrive in either Mumbai or Pune, depending on flight availability, Karde said.
Waibhav, who joined the Indian Army in 1998, served his military career spanning over two decades. A former officer in the National Rifles in Kashmir, he had also commanded 11 JK Rifles in Kashmir and was an instructor at the Army Infantry School in Mhow. He was also posted in the northeast and the Siachen glacier and was also a part of the army’s counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism operations unit.
The ministry of external affairs (MEA) expressed grief over the death of the officer. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd.), Security Coordination Officer in the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in Gaza on 13 May 2024. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and dear ones. Our Permanent Mission to the UN in New York and our Missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending all assistance in the repatriation of mortal remains to India and continue to be in touch with relevant authorities regarding the investigation into the incident,” the MEA said in a statement on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the UN has called for a full investigation into the incident.
