Soldier killed in Pak shelling had told parents of his early return

The 20-year-old army jawan had told his parents that he will be coming home in two days. Today, they will receive the body of Sepoy Shubham Suryakant Mustapure at his village Konerwadi in Parbhani district of Maharashtra, for last rites.

Mustapure, who joined the Army two years ago, was killed as Pakistani troops fired mortar bombs at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

A pall of gloom has descended on the village as people await the arrival of his body, for the last rites to be performed today. Mustapure will be cremated with military honours at 4 pm today, an official said. The soldier's body is expected to land at Aurangabad airport at 11 am and will be taken to Konerwadi by road, he added. “Shubham recently called his parents and informed them he will be coming home in two days.

Now, his body, wrapped in tricolour, will reach here,” a relative of the soldier said.

The jawan, who was a bachelor, is survived by parents and grandparents and two younger brothers. While one brother studies in Gangakhed in Parbhani district, another studies at

Ahmedpur in Latur district, the kin said. The soldier's father owns one and a half acres of farm and also supplements his income through tailoring.

When Shubham was recruited in the Army two years ago, after completing his Class XII, he had treated the entire village to a grand feast, the relative said.

A pall of gloom has descended on the village as people await the arrival of his body, for the last rites will be performed today