CHITTOOR (AP), Dec 12:
Lance Naik B Sai Teja, who lost his life in a helicopter crash along with CDS General Bipin Rawat and 11 others in Tamil Nadu, was laid to rest in his native village Yeguvaregadi in Chittoor district on Sunday afternoon.
Teja’s younger brother Chaitanya, who is also an Army jawan, performed the last rites as hundreds of villagers chanted Jai Jawan and Bharat Mata ki Jai and bid a tearful farewell.
Army officials solemnly presented the national tricolour to Teja’s widow as the mortal remains were buried in his agricultural land with full military honours and a gun salute.
The mortal remains of the Lance Naik were brought to his village in a flower-bedecked military vehicle from the Army Base Hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday morning.
Thousands of youths and other citizens, carrying the national flag, lined up along the 30-km route from the Andhra-Karnataka border as the convoy proceeded to Yeguvaregadi.
Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at the jawan’s residence as his body was brought in. Family members, friends and villagers broke down during the funeral.
Apart from the Army officials, the AP Government officials too paid homage to the departed soldier. Hundreds of people from nearby villages poured in to pay their last respects.
Sai Teja, who joined the Army a decade ago, is survived by wife, two children and his parents. (PTI)
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