Kerala soldier laid to rest in Thrissur village

Despite the advisory of authorities on crowding, thousands swarmed the village to pay last respect to the deceased soldier.

The mortal remains of Junior Warrant Officer A Pradeep Kumar, one of the 12 people who were killed along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in the fatal helicopter crash at Coonoor on Wednesday, were laid to rest in his native village Ponnukkara in Thrissur district with state honours on Saturday.

A helicopter carrying India’s defence chief General Bipin Rawat, 12 others crashed in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. Pradeep Kumar was also killed in the crash. (AFP)

Despite the advisory of authorities on crowding, thousands swarmed the village to pay last respect to the deceased soldier. The mortal remains were first kept at the school where Kumar studied and later taken to his house. His eight-year-old son lit the pyre after Kerala Police and the Indian Air Force officials accorded gun salutes.

Four state ministers were present at the house. Earlier, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan accompanied the body from Sulur airbase in Coimbatore to Thrissur.

Posted in Sulur, Kumar was part of many rescue operations, including the Uttarakhand flood in 2013, the Kerala flood in 2018 and anti-Naxal operations in Chattisgarh, his family members said. During the 2018 floods, he spent days airlifting the stranded and dropping food to the affected. The IAF rescue team had received a commendation from the President and state government for their performance.

Joined the Air Force in 2004, the 37-year-old was planning an early retirement after completing 20 years in service. Kumar’s father, who is on a ventilator, was not informed about his untimely death, family members said.