New Delhi, July 8
Bhavya Mehta, stood consoling her mother, Sunita Mehta, who clutched the Tricolour and her husband Brig Ravi Datt Mehta’s Army cap as the body of Mehta — who had died in line of duty at Kabul yesterday — was cremated with full military honours today.
The Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor led the mourners as family of Mehta, his friends were moved as a 21-gun salute was fired and the “last post” bugle call was sounded at the cremation ground at the Delhi Cantt here this afternoon.
The bodies of Mehta, IFS officer V.V. Rao and two ITBP jawans Ajay Pathania and Roop Singh were brought to Delhi on board a special IAF aircraft last night. The cremation of Rao was also conducted this afternoon with full military honours.
The minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma led the mourners. Almost all senior IFS officers posted in Delhi attended the cremation. The family of Rao had flown in from Hyderabad while his wife, Malti, teaches in Delhi itself.
The bodies of the two ITBP jawans were sent to their respective hometowns. Pathania’s body was sent to Hoshiarpur where as Roop Singh’s to Mandi.
Brig Mehta, whose work in Afghanistan had earned praise from his peers and seniors, was the first to be cremated. General Kapoor laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of the President of India, Prime Minister, The Defence minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
The Defence attache of Afghanistan in India laid a wreath on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan. Senior Navy and Air Force officers paid floral tributes on behalf of their respective chiefs.
Brig Mehta’s son, Flight Lieutenant Udit Mehta, lighted the funeral pyre. He is himself an Indian Air Force Fighter Pilot. Later while speaking to the media, Flight Lt Udit said he was very proud of his gallant father, who had always been a source of inspiration to him. The way he lived his brave soldierly life was worth emulating, he added.
Meanwhile, President Pratibha Patil expressed 'deep sorrow' on the deaths of the four personnel.
