Three jawans laid to rest with state honours

Among the three jawans killed in the avalanche, two were from Madurai district. They were identified as Dhamodara Kannan (26), of K Vellakulam near Tirumangalam, and Sundarapandiyan (25), of Pallakapatti near Tirumangalam. 

Their bodies reached the Madurai Airport on Tuesday night and Revenue Minister, R B Udayakumar and Madurai Collector, K Veera Raghav Rao, paid respects. Following this, the bodies were sent to the native villages where the final rites were performed on Wednesday morning. 

The bodies of Sundarapandiyan and Dhamodara Kannan were buried at Pallakapatti and K Vellakulam respectively with full state honours and 21 round gun salute. At both places, the Collector, Madurai SP Vijayendra Bidari, and Army officials led by Brigadier S Suman, paid respects and handed over the National flag to the respective family. The officials consoled the family members and handed over a cheque of Rs 20 lakh each on behalf of the state government. The Army officials claimed that Rs 30 lakhs each would soon be given to the family members. 

The third jawan killed in the avalanche was B Ilavarasan (27), of Kannanthankudi Keezhaiyur in Thanjavur district. He was attached to the 51 Rashtriay Rifles. 

The body arrived at his native, late on Tuesday night and Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, Collector A Annadurai, SP J Mahesh and MLA M Rengasamy paid floral tributes. The Minister handed over a cheque for Rs 20 lakh to the family members on behalf of the state government. On Wendesday morning, the body was taken to a crematorium nearby and buried with full state honours including 21 round gun salute. District Collector, SP, Colonels Veerasangili, Loganathan and Brigadier Sangram were present.