Reuters photo
CHANDIGARH: A wave of grief swept across the country as the mortal remains of the soldiers who laid down their lives fighting the Chinese Army in Galwan Valley in Ladakh were taken to their native places on Wednesday.
Anti-China protests were held in several parts of the country, including the national capital, though restrictions were in place on assembly of people due to the coronavirus lockdown.
For many of the bereaved families the agonising wait started on Tuesday evening when they were informed by senior Army officials about the sacrifice of the 20 soldiers in the clashes with the Chinese Army along the Line of Actual Control a day earlier.
In heart-wrenching scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, coffins of soldiers arrived in several states for the last rites with full military honours.
Even as they struggled to come to terms with the shocking news and grieved over the lives cut short, family members of the soldiers said they were proud of their sacrifice.
The body of Colonel B Santosh Babu, which was brought to Hyderbad by a special aircraft, was taken to his native Suryapet town by an ambulance as people holding the tricolour showered flowers on it.
Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and state IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao were among those who paid their last respects.
At many places across Telangana, people and members of different political parties and other organisations paid floral tributes to the army officer.
Holding the tricolour and banners that read ‘We salute the soldiers’, they raised ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ slogans.
A large number of people assembled and shouted anti-China slogans in sepoy Ankush Thakur’s Karohta village in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh.
The 21-year-old was recruited to the Punjab Regiment in 2018 and was a third-generation soldier.
“We feel proud that he has laid down his life for the motherland,” said Karunakar Pradhan, the father of 28-year-old Chandrakanta Pradhan from Odisha’s Kandhamal district.
Chandrakanta belonged to a tribal community and hailed from Biarpanga village.
“My son was highly sincere towards his duty. He was courageous, simple and hard working. We got the information about his martyrdom on Tuesday night. We are waiting for his