Jalgoan: Thousands of mourners in Jalgaon's Kusumbe village bid a tearful farewell to soldier Bhanudas Kautik Patil on Sunday morning. Chants of "Amar Rahe… Amar Rahe… Veer Jawan Bhanudas Patil Amar Rahe…" filled the air as his mortal remains were brought home.
Cabinet Minister Gulabrao Patil and Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, along with other dignitaries such as Tehsildar Arpit Chavan, Tehsildar Vijay Bansode, Police Inspector Jaipal Hire, Defence Security Camp Subhedar Avtar Singh, District Solider Welfare Organisation's Havaldar Ratilal Mahajan, Lakshman Manore and Sugandha Patil, Sarpanch Yamuna Thackrey, Police Patil Radheshyam Chaudhary paid their respects by garlanding the coffin. Government honors were accorded during the cremation organized by the district administration.
Soldier Patil (55), stationed at the 1249 DSC (Defence Security Camp) Platoon 75 Infantry Brigade in Bhuj, died unexpectedly on Saturday while on duty. The news cast a pall of grief over Kusumbe as his body arrived early Sunday. A decorated vehicle carried his remains for a final procession through the village.
A police contingent presented a gun salute with three volleys, and Patil's son Sachin lit the funeral pyre. He is survived by his mother, wife, son, daughter, three brothers, and three sisters.