People bid tearful farewell to CRPF jawan

Bengaluru: Sobbing parents and wife of braveheart H Guru, who was killed in the Pulawama terror attack, fainted during his funeral in Mandya district and emotional slogans rent the air as his mortal remains were consigned to flames with full State honours Saturday.

Thousands of people, including Union Minister Sadananda Gowda, turned up at his remote Gudigere village to pay their last respects to the martyr.

Earlier the tricolour-draped casket carrying his mortal remains was brought by a special plane at the HAL Airport where chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, union minister D V Sadananda Gowda, state home minister M B Patil, and others paid homage by laying wreaths on the coffin.

As the body was taken to his home village by a convoy of Army vehicles, thousands of people stood on both sides of the road all along from Bengaluru to his home village, a distance of about 100 km, holding the tricolour.

Emotional slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Veer Yodha Guru Amar Rahe’ and ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ rent the air as the convoy passed through.

In many places, schools declared holiday for children to pay their last respects to the slain soldier.

At many places, people blocked roads to pay homage to the martyr.

Police had the tough time clearing the blockade.

Throughout the journey, people showered flowers on the vehicle.

Man people followed the convoy in their vehicles.

Some people waving the tricolour were at the front of the convoy.

Emotions ran high as the body reached the village.

While his relatives were inconsolable, his father, mother, wife Kalavathi fainted several times.

A gun salute was offered before the body was consigned to flames.

People wept openly when Kalavathi saluted the coffin containing her husband’s mortal remains and said ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Veer Yodha Guru Amar Rahe.’ 

Kumaraswamy, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda and several other politicians and officers reached the village and attended the last rites.

The chief minister announced a Rs 25 lakh solatium to the bereaved family and a government job for Kalavathi.

In a goodwill gesture, actress Sumalatha, widow of actor-politician Ambarish announced donating half-an-acre of land in Gudigere to build a memorial for the martyr.

Kumaraswamys actor son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is at Gudigere trying to console the bereaved family members.

Many business establishments in the prime business area of the city, Chikpet and surrounding places remained closed to condemn the attack and pay homage to the departed souls.