A pall of gloom has descended on Phursungi, the native village of 32-year-old gunner Saurabh Farate, who was among the three soldiers killed in Saturday’s militant attack on an army convoy in Pampore.
Saurabh, who was in the Indian Army for last 13 years, is survived by parents, wife, twin daughters and a brother who also serves in the army.
Saurabh’s father’s Nandkishor Farate said that in October, he had come home on two months leave to celebrate the first birthday of his daughters and had left on December 24.
“Before leaving for duty on Saturday morning, he had a telephonic conversation with the family. Yesterday, I received a call from his unit, however, the person on the other side gave incomplete information and only informed us that Saurabh was shot,” said the bereaved father.
“I then called up my younger son, Rohit, who too works in army in Jammu and informed him about the call. It was he who informed us about his (Saurabh’s) martyrdom after due enquiry,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“I then called up my younger son, Rohit, who too works in army in Jammu and informed him about the call. It was he who informed us about his (Saurabh’s) martyrdom after due enquiry,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He hoped the government would take concrete steps to tackle the menace of terrorism.
Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar visited Saurabh’s house and consoled his parents and relatives.
The mortal remains of the soldier would be flown for the last rites to his native place in Hadapsar area here and will be consigned to the flames with full military honours tomorrow morning.