An emotional farewell was given to four valiant army jawans from Maharashtra, who lost their lives in the Uri attack, as their last rites were performed in their respective native villages with full military and state honours.
Sandip Somnath Thok (24) from Nashik district, Chandrakant Shankar Galande from Satara, Vikas Janardhan Kulmethe (27) from Yavatmal district and Panjab alias Vikas Janrao Uike (26) from Amravati lost their lives in the terror attack on Sunday.
Amid slogans in his praise by thousands of emotional villagers and family members, the mortal remains of Army jawan Sandip Thok were consigned to flames at his native Khadangli village in Nashik district.
The body of Sandip, who is survived by parents, elder brother Yogesh and two married sisters, was yesterday brought to Ojhar Airport in Nashik district in an IAF plane from Srinagar and then taken to his native village last night.
His parents, relatives and villagers broke down on seeing the valiant soldier's body.
A procession was also taken out in the village as state Rural Development Minister Dadaji Bhuse, District Collector Radhakrishnan B, Sub-Divisional Officer Mahesh Patil, Tehsildar Manoj Khairnar and others paid rich tributes to the martyr.
The jawan was bid farewell amid chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Sandeep Thok amar rahein' by grief-stricken villagers as his mortal remains were cremated late last night with full military honours.
Galande's body was brought to his native Jashi village in Satara this morning where his last rites were performed with full military honours.
Thousands of villagers and teary-eyed family members gathered at the site to pay their last respects. A large procession was carried out by villagers.
Satara Guardian Minister Vijay Shivtare, state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Girish Bapat, and several others paid tributes to the jawan.
Galande had joined the Army in 2004 as soon as he completed his education. He is survived by his wife, two sons, parents and two brothers.
His parents, while talking to reporters yesterday, had demanded stern action against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, bodies of Vikas Kulmethe and Vikas Uike were
flown to Nagpur airport. While Kulmethe's body was brought to Nagpur last night, Uike's mortal remains were brought there this morning.
After the Army officials paid homage to the two martyrs this morning, their bodies were taken to their native places.
Kulmethe's body reached his native Purad village in Wani at about 2.15 pm and was received by Union Minister Hansraj Ahir. The body was then kept at his house for the public to pay their last respects.
An emotional farewell was given to Kulmethe, where thousands turned up. The entire tehsil observed bandh for the day.
Vikas, who joined the army in 2008 and was transferred to the camp at Uri six months ago, got married two years back. He is survived by his wife Sneha (23), a four-month-old daughter, a younger brother and parents.
Mortal remains of Vikas Uike from Nandgaon Khandeshwar town in Amravati district, were consigned to flames this afternoon. His family members and villagers could not hold back tears as his elder brother lit the funeral pyre amid the gun salute and full state honours.
Before the body was brought to the town, residents burnt the effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in protest. When the van carrying Uike's body reached the home town, his family members broke down, even as slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Shahid Vikas Amar Rahe' rent the air.
The market remained closed today while thousands lined the road to bid adieu to Uike.
He had joined the Bihar Battalion of the army at Chandrapur in 2009, served at Assam and West Bengal, before being posted at Jammu and Kashmir three months ago. He left behind parents, a brother and a married sister.
His father Janrao had earlier said that they were planning to marry him off soon. "We had planned to solemnise the engagement on Diwali but all our plans have been shattered," he had told
