Thousands join final journey of slain Army major in Meerut

Thousands turned up to pay their last respects to Major Ketan Sharma, who was killed in an encounter with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag, as his mortal remains were brought to his hometown Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old officer was killed in an encounter in Achabal area of the south Kashmir district on Monday. A militant was also killed in the gun fight which broke out after the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area.

Sharma's mortal remains were flown from Jammu and Kashmir to Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat paid tributes to the slain officer at the Palam airport in the national capital before his mortal remains were taken to Meerut.

The slain Armyman, who will be cremated in Surajkund later, was accorded a gun salute by his colleagues here.

A pall of gloom descended on the slain officer's residence in Kanker Kher area. Senior Army officers consoled Sharma's family. State minister Suresh Rana also visited his house.

Sharma's father, Ravindra Kumar Sharma, said his son had returned to work on May 27 after a 20-day leave.

Besides his parents, Sharma is survived by his wife and a five-year-old daughter.

Sharma's wife has been inconsolable since she learnt about her husband's death, while their daughter hasn't realised yet that her father is no more.