Karnataka’s slain CRPF trooper’s body flown to Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 16 (IANS) Mortal remains of Karnataka's slain CRPF trooper H. Guru arrived here on Saturday from New Delhi in a special IAF aircraft for the last rites with state honours at his village in Mandya district.

The tri-coloured cortege with Guru's body was lowered from the IAF's AN-32 transport aircraft at the state-run HAL airport in the city's eastern suburb and driven in a flower-bedecked military truck to Gudigere village in Mandya, about 100km from here.

Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and state Home Minister M.B. Patil laid wreaths on the cortege before it was placed in the vehicle for its last journey under escort.

Constable (General Duty) Guru, 33, was among the 49 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers who died on Thursday near Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwma district in a terror attack on a bus in which they were travelling in a convoy to Srinagar from Jammu.

"Kumaraswamy will attend the state funeral being accorded to Guru along with other dignitaries, including officials of the CRPF and the services," said the Chief Minister's Office in a statement here.

Guru belonged to the 82nd Battalion of the CRPF and was posted in Srinagar.

Guru's family members, including Kalavathi, father Honnaiah, mother Chikka Thayamma, younger brothers Madhu and Anand were inconsolable over his sudden death.

According to his relatives, Guru was at home last week on leave and left for Jammu and Kashmir on February 11.

Guru joined the CRPF in 2011 after serving in Jharkhand as part of the 94th Battalion.

The Chief Minister has assured the bereaved family of providing a government job to Guru's widow Kalavathi and compensation for his supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation.