Mortal remains of Army jawan laid to rest in Vadodara

The mortal remains of martyred Army jawan Mohammad Atif Shafi Alam Khan Pathan were laid to rest in his hometown here on Wednesday with full military honours.

People from Navayard and other parts of the city gathered in large numbers to bid an emotional adieu to Pathan, the 24-year-old rifleman who succumbed to injuries suffered in firing by the Pakistan Army in Jammu and Kashmir.

His funeral procession started from his home in Navayard, from where his remains were taken to a dargah at Gorva on the city's outskirts for burial.

Slogans like 'Hindustan zindabad' (hail Hindustan) and 'Pakistan murdabad' (down with Pakistan) rent the air and road traffic came to a halt at several places along the funeral route.

Local residents carried banners with slogans like 'Pathan Aamr Raho' (long live Pathan) in honour of the martyred soldier.

Earlier, Gujaratminister Yogesh Patel, BJP MP Ranjaben Bhatt, police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlaut, BJP MLAs Madhu Srivastav, Jitu Sukhadiya and senior Army officers, among others, visited Pathan's house and offered condolences to his family.

Pathan was injured when the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing at forward posts along the border in the Sunderbani sector in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday morning.

Pathan was later evacuated to the Army Hospital, where he succumbed.

On Tuesday, his body arrived at around 8:50 pm by an IndiGo flight at the Vadodara Airport, where several senior Army officers were present, an official had said.

Pathan is survived by his father and mother.