Naik C Ratheesh (34), who was killed along with two other soldiers in the terror attack at Pampore in Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday, was cremated on Monday evening with full State and military honours in his native village Kotolipram, Mattannur in Kerala’s Kannur district.
Thousands paid homage to the martyred soldier after his body was brought to his native village by road from the Kozhikode airport. Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran also paid last respects to the martyr. Those who attended the funeral included PK Sreemathi MP, EP Jayarajan MlA and several other political leaders.
Ratheesh was killed in the Pampore attack eight days after he had joined duty after a brief vacation in his village for supervising the renovation of his house. He was on deputation and was attached to the 33 RR for field service in the Bandipore sector for the past three years.
“Ratheesh had returned to Jammu and Kashmir on December 8 after a two-week vacation here. He had told us that he had to be in Kashmir before coming to Madukkarai in Coimbatore,” said one of his friends in Mattannur. Relatives also said that Ratheesh was to return soon to his parent regiment. He is survived by his aged mother C Omana, wife Jyothi and six-month-old son.