Martyred soldier's last rites held with state honours

The last rites of an Army soldier from Nashik district, killed in Jammu and Kashmir, were performed with full state honours at his native place near here late Monday evening.

Naik Keshav Somgir Gosavi (29) was killed Sunday by a Pakistani sniper along the LoC in Rajouri district of the militancy-affected state.

The 29-year-old soldier's mortal remains were brought here Monday in an aircraft from New Delhi, official sources said.

The plane carrying his body landed at the Ojhar airport here from where it was taken to his native place in an Army vehicle for last rites, they said.

Gosavi hailed from Shrirampur village near here in North Maharashtra, where his last rites were held with full state honours.

Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Nashik Collector Radhakrishnan B besides Army and Air Force officials paid homage to the martyred soldier by placing wreaths on hiscoffin.

Gosavi got critically injured in the sniper fire and later succumbed to gunshot wounds, said a release issued by the Press Information Bureau (Defence).

The soldier is survived by his eight-month pregnant wife Yashoda Gosavi, father and sister.