Martyred Colonel’s body flown to Hyderabad, Army pays last respects
Hyderabad, June 17 (IANS) The body of Colonel B. Santosh Babu, who was killed by Chinese troops in a clash in Ladakh on Monday, was brought here on Wednesday, en route to his hometown for the last rites.
An army aircraft carrying the body landed at Hakimpet Airport Station here on Wednesday.
The mortal remains of the brave son of Telangana were received by senior government officials and military personnel with full military honours.
A wreath on behalf of the Army Commander and all ranks of the Southern Command was laid in honour of the valiant soldier by Lt Gen T.S.A. Narayanan, Commandant, MCEME.
The Colonel’s wife Santoshi also paid tributes. Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and state ministers K.T. Rama Rao, Malla Reddy, Mohammed Mehmood Ali and Jadish Reddy also paid their respects.
Others who paid the tributes included Cyberabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Telangana and Andhra Sub Area GOC Maj. Gen. R.K. Singh, Bison Division commander Maj. Gen. Alok Joshi, Station Commander Brig. Abhijit Chandra and Commandant, AOC Centre, Brig. J.J.S. Bhinder.
The body of Santosh Babu (39) was later taken to his home town Suryapet where the last rites will be performed with full military honours on Thursday morning.
Earlier, the Colonel’s family member arrived in Hyderabad from New Delhi.
The martyred officer’s wife Santoshi, nine-year-old daughter Abhigna and four-year-old son Anirudh were received at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport by Cyberabad Police Commissioner Sajjanar and senior Army officials.
Santosh Babu and 19 soldiers were killed in the clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley of Ladakh on Monday.
The news of Santosh’s martyrdom was first conveyed to his wife in Delhi on Monday night while his parents who live in Suryapet were informed on Tuesday afternoon.
Santosh, Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar Regiment, had been serving on the Indo-China border for the last one-and-half year and his family was looking forward to his transfer to Hyderabad. The transfer was delayed due to Covid-19.
An alumni of Sainik School Korukonda and National Defence Academy, he got commissioned into the Bihar Regiment from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and went on to complete the prestigious Defence Service Staff Course from Wellington before taking over the command of his Battalion.
–IANS
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