Palakkad (Kerala), Jan 5 The Body of NSG commando Lt.Col. E.K. Niranjan, who was killed in the counter-offensive against terrorists at the Pathankot air base on Sunday, was cremated in Kerala on Tuesday.
At his Elumbulsherry village in Palakkad district, people stayed awake through the night after his body was brought here on Monday evening.
Hundreds of people made a bee line to his ancestral home to have one last glimpse of the brave warrior who laid down his life defending his country.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on late Monday arrived at the Elumbulsherry village and paid homage to the departed soldier.
Niranjan's father Sivarajan, a retired employee, was calm. He said: "I am proud of my son as he has laid down his life for the country."
"His stint with the NSG was to get over in another three months and he had planned to celebrate his daughter's second birthday as he could not take part in the first birthday celebrations since he was undergoing training in the US."
On Tuesday morning, the elders and religious leaders conducted the last rites and Niranjan was cremated at his ancestral house.
The Kerala government was represented at the cremation by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. The state government also directed that at 11 a.m all the schools in the state should observe a minute's silence in memory of Niranjan.
Various units of the air force, army and Kerala Police also bid a ceremonial farewell to the departed.
Niranjan is survived by his dentist wife Radhika, 18-month-old daughter Vismaya, father Sivarajan, step-mother and brother Shashank.
The Kerala cabinet that meets on Wednesday will decide on how to compensate the family. The Karnataka government has announced a Rs.30 lakh compensation.
Man insults martyr Lt. Col. Niranjan on FB, arrested
Kozhikode (Kerala) Jan 5
A man has been arrested here for making an insulting Facebook post about NSG commando Lt. Col. E.K. Niranjan, who was killed in the counter-offensive against terrorists at the Pathankot air base on Sunday.
A police official, attached to the Chevayur Police station, told IANS that Anwar Sadiq, 24, was arrested on Tuesday from his home in Malappuram district.
"He had created a Facebook profile with a fake name and claimed he was a journalist with the Madhyamam Daily. Following a complaint from the Daily and revelation that there was nobody of that name employed with them, police probed and arrested this person," said the official requesting anonymity.
The official said the arrested man has been charged under Sec 124 (A) of the Indian Penal Code as his comments are of an anti-national nature. "He will be produced before a court. He has said that he did not know that it was a crime."
In the Facebook post, Sadiq, under a fake profile, had posted insulting remarks about the martyr and it evoked a heated discussion in the social media. Following the complaint from the Daily, the police arrested him.
