Col. Santosh’s body arrives, funeral today
Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan led the state in paying respects to the Indian Army’s Colonel B. Santosh Babu at the IAF station at Hakimpet upon the arrival of his body there this morning, while at Kesaram village, a few kilometres from the Colonel’s hometown of Suryapet, his family was making preparations for the last rites.
The army officer’s body was flown to the Indian Air Force Station at Hakimpet near Hyderabad aboard an AN-32 aircraft and was received by senior defence officials. The body, in a coffin, was carried from the aircraft into one of the hangars at Hakimpet airfield where the Governor laid a wreath and paid her respects to the martyred officer.
Offering her deep condolences to the bereaved family, the Governor said the brave officer’s supreme sacrifice would be remembered by the nation. She said she was proud to be Governor of Telangana state which is the birthplace of Col. Santosh Babu.
Col. Santosh Babu’s wife B. Santoshi who also laid a wreath, accompanied her husband’s body to Suryapet in an ambulance from the IAF station.
Among others who also paid their last respects by placing wreaths on the body were ministers K.T. Rama Rao, G. Jagadish
Reddy, Mohammad Mahmood Ali, Ch. Malla Reddy, senior state police officials and officials of the Indian Army.
The funeral of Col. Santosh Babu has been scheduled for Thursday morning at Kesaram on a half-acre farm plot owned by the family.
The plot was cleaned by municipal staff from Suryapet who also cleared a small patch for the final rites and a mud road was laid to the plot for the army truck that will carry the body from the soldier’s home in the town to his final resting place. The vehicle was covered with garlands of flowers and a large image of Col. Santosh Babu was placed on the vehicle.
District and army officials spent a long time at the location making arrangements for the funeral to be held with military honours.
District officials urged people not to gather at the funeral location on Thursday. “We will be following Covid-19 norms and this means large crowds will not be allowed at the funeral. No more than 50 persons should be at a funeral as per the norms,” the district medical & health officer Dr Kondal Rao said.