A pall of gloom descended on Amboli Village in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra’s coastal Konkan region on Monday, as it awaited the body of its martyred son Naik Pandurang Gawade, who succumbed to critical injuries that he sustained during a fierce encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir’s Kupawara district on Saturday last.
On Tuesday, Gawade’s mortal remains will arrive in Goa from where it would be taken to Sindhudurg, where last rites will be performed on Tuesday.
Earlier, after homage was paid to him by the Army personnel, his body was brought to New Delhi, from where it is being flown to Goa.
Gawade, who had been critically injured in a fierce encounter with five heavily armed terrorists on Saturday last, died at a Kashmir Hospital subsequently.
Thirty-four-year-old Gawade is survived by wife Pranjal and two sons, Prajwal (6) and Vedant ( four months).
Gawade, who belonged to the 41 Rashtriya Riffles (RR), had resumed work in February after having been on leave for some days for the naming ceremony of his second son Vedant.
“He was a good boy. Besides his duties as a soldier, he was also interested in doing social work” his father Mahadev said.
Mahadev’s three sons have served the Indian Army and Pandurang was the youngest.
His elder brother, Ashok Gawade, who retired from the Army few years ago, said, “We all brothers were in the Army and we often met after two years. This February he came for seeing his new-born son and was very happy”
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has mourned the death of Gawade, who laid down his life fighting militants.
“My salutes & tributes to Shaheed Pandurang Gawade from Sindhudurg for his sacrifice to protect the people of our nation! The fearlessness and valour with which Naik Gawade performed his duty is unmatchable. We are with His family in such tough time. #JaiHind!,” Fadnavis tweeted.