Over 45 years after he lost his life in an IAF transport aircraft crash, the mortal remains of Non-Commissioned Officer Jagmal Singh Yadav were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native Meerpur village in Haryana's Rewari district today.
Earlier, the NCO's body, which was recovered on August 22 by an expedition of the Dogra Scouts of the Western Command, was brought to his village.
His is the fifth body to be recovered of the 102 personnel on board the IAF AN-12 aircraft which crashed while on a flight to Leh from here in February 1968.
The mortal remains of the NCO, who belonged to the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, were flown-in to the Western Command headquarters at Chandimandir on an IAF chopper yesterday.
Contingents of IAF and police fired several rounds in the air as the NCO's mortal remains were consigned to flames.
His 53-year-old son Ram Chander, a retired Army jawan, lit up the pyre as DSP Vinod Kumar and Naib Tehsildar Sanjiv Kumar paid floral tributes to the departed soul on behalf of the administration.
A large number of villagers attended the funeral.
The NCO's three daughters -- Sushila, Kamlesah and Beena -- along with their children were present.
Jagmal's wife Bhgawn Kaur passed away in 2008.
Ved Prakash Thekedar, Sarpanch of Meerpur village, announced a befitting memorial would be raised in the village in memory of the NCO.
The NCO had perished on the snowy heights of Dakka Glacier in the Chander Bhaga ranges of Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh. He was 28 years old when the crash took place.
Despite the inclement weather in higher reaches of the mountain ranges, Army ensured that the mortal remains reached Manali by road from where it was transported by an IAF chopper, a defence release said.
