Satara martyr Chandrakant S. Galande cremated with full military honours

Nashik (Maharashtra), Sep 20: Indian Army soldier Chandrakant Shankar Galande - who was martyred in a terror attack in Uri on Sunday - was cremated with full military honours here on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The body of Galande, 27, reached Satara late on Monday night and was kept at the government hospital till morning as thousands of locals and people from surrounding villages paid their respects.

On Tuesday the cortege covered in the tricolor was taken out in a solemn procession through Jashi village amid cries of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Shahid Chandrakant Galande Amar Rahe'.

Top civil and military officials, three ministers - Mahadev Jankar, Girish Bapat and Vijay Shivtare - as well as local leaders and commoners laid wreaths and paid homage to the gallant soldier. The village was in mourning since the news of his death broke on Sunday.

Galande is survived by his wife Nisha, sons - Shreyas, five, and Jai, three - besides his aged farmer parents and two older brothers, who are also in the armed forces.

On Saturday, Galande who had joined the army in 2012, had called Nisha to inform that he would be home for a 10-day holiday to help with the farm work. But the very next day, the family heard the news of the tragedy.

"It was my desire that all three sons join the armed forces. They respected my wish. Today, the youngest has been martyred. I am proud that his life is sacrificed for the cause of the nation," a teary-eyed Shankar Galande told mediapersons on Monday.

IANS