24 October 2002
GOVT NO LONGER BOTHERS ABOUT
MILITARY MEN FIGHTING MILITANTS
From Jal
Khambata
NEW DELHI: The Government no longer takes special
interest that it exhibited during the Kargil war to fly back bodies
of the military personnel to their villages and cities for the last
rites.
When Major Vinod Kumar Rana of Deccan Horse fell to the
militants' bullets after killing one of them on the spot in an
encounter on October 20 in the course of a counter-insurgency
operation, the military found no other way except to hire a private
truck to cart his body to his village Bajghera in Gurgaon district
(Haryana) off Delhi.
Officers who first tried to see if his
body can be flown found no response from the higher-ups and hence the
last journey of the hero took three days in a truck bundled like any
other goods.
The cremation took place in his home village on
Wednesday, of course with the guard of honours given by the soldiers
of the President Body Guards and Rajputana Rifles, but 5000 people
who had gathered to say "adieu" to "son of the soil"
felt sad at the disrespect shown to him by putting his body in a
truck. At least, they could have used a military vehicle if not an
aircraft, many remarked.
The major was heading a company on
patrol as part of the counter-insurgency operations. On detecting
some suspicious movements, the area was cordoned off and the major
himself led the search party. Cornered, the militants opened fire
which were immediately retaliated by Major Vinod, killing one
militant. He was, however, wounded in the fierce firefight and later
succumbed to injuries. END