Three soldiers from Karnataka who died in Poonch accident laid to rest with full honours

BAGALKOT, BELAGAVI, UDUPI: The three soldiers of the Indian Army who were among five who were martyred in an accident in Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir were laid to rest with full military honours at their respective hometowns on Thursday.

The vehicle carrying the soldiers had plunged into a gorge after skidding off the road in the Pir Panjal Valley of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening. Five other soldiers were injured in the accident and are undergoing treatment at army hospitals.

The mortal remains of Mahesh Marigonda (25) of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Centre, which arrived at the Sambra airport in Belagavi late on Wednesday night, was kept in the morning at the KGS School premises where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also paid his last respects. Later in the afternoon, it was taken by road to Mahalingapur in Rabkavi taluk where the last rites were conducted with military and state honours.

The remains of Dayanad Tirakannavar (45), which also arrived at Sambra airport along wiht that of Mahesh Marigonda, was laid to rest at Panta Balekundri village in Sambra and the Tricolour which draped the coffin was handed over to his wife Nanda. Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Centre Brigadier Joydeep Mukherjee said the vehicle carrying the soldiers had fallen into a 300-foot-deep gorge. “Three of them were from Karnataka and two were from Maharashtra. We are soldiers and our lives are dedicated to the nation”, he said.

The mortal remains of Lance Havildar Anoop Poojary was taken to Kundapur from the Mangaluru airport and kept for public viewing at the Bijadi Padu government school grounds. The remains were received by BJP MPs Brijesh Chowta Kota Srinivasa Poojary at the Mangaluru airport earlier in the day.

The last rites were conducted by the sea at Bijadi with full military and state honours. All the streets in the entire village were decorated with rangoli in honour of the fallen soldier.