Andhra Pradesh gives hero's farewell to martyred soldier

Amaravati, May 11 (IANS) Hundreds of people on Sunday bid tearful adieu to Army jawan M. Murali Naik who was killed during the cross-border firing by the Pakistani forces along the Line of Control.

The last rites of the Angniveer were conducted with full military honours in the presence of Andhra Pradesh ministers V. Anitha, Savitha, Nara Lokesh, Satya Kumar and Army officials at Kallithanda hamlet of Gorantla mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district.

Gun salute and ceremonial draping of the tricolor marked the solemn farewell to the fallen hero.

Lokesh, who is the son of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, was one of the pallbearers in the funeral procession.

Family members, relatives, friends, politicians belonging to various parties, people from surrounding villages, police and civil officials bid adieu to the valiant soldier.

The participants in the funeral procession raised slogans of ‘Murali Naik amar rahe’ and vowed their support to the armed forces.

After laying a wreath, Lokesh saluted the martyred soldier. He consoled his family members.

The minister personally supervised the arrangements for the funeral and gave necessary directions to the officials.

Earlier, the state government announced Rs.50 lakh for the family of Murali Naik.

The state government also announced five acres land and 300 square yards house site for the family. It also decided to give job to a member of the family.

The announcements were made by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan after paying his last respects to the jawan in the morning.

The Jana Sena leader also personally announced Rs.25 lakh assistance for Murali Naik’s family.

The Deputy CM laid a wreath and paid homage to the martyred soldier. He also consoled the family of the 25-year-old jawan.

The actor-politician assured the family that the state and the Central governments will extend all possible assistance to them.

Pawan Kalyan said a bronze statue of Murali Naik would be installed in the district headquarter.

The mortal remains of Murali Naik reached his home on Saturday. The body first arrived at Bengaluru Airport, where it was received by BC Welfare Minister S. Savitha.

Later, the slain soldier's body was shifted to Gorantla in a military convoy. Enroute to Naik’s village, hundreds of people paid tributes by showering petals.

Murali Naik, an Agniveer, was martyred in the firing by Pakistani forces along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on the night of May 8.

Naik, who hailed from a poor agricultural family of the tribal hamlet, was posted along the tense LoC in Jammu & Kashmir when the Pakistan Army resorted to ceasefire violations, launching heavy artillery and mortar attacks, post India’s Operation Sindoor.

Murali was the only son of Mudavath Sriram Naik and Mudavath Jyothi Bai, both working as agricultural labourers in Gorantla mandal.

--IANS

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