Kerala turns up in huge numbers to pay tribute to martyred CRPF jawan

Thousands of people from various walks of life turned up Saturday to pay homage to CRPF havaldar V.V. Vasanth Kumar, killed in the Pulwama terror attack, as his mortal remains were brought here for last rites. The martyr's body was received at Kozhikode Airport by Union Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons, state Ministers E.P. Jayarajan, A.K. Saseendran and K.T. Jaleel and several lawmakers as it arrived on a special Air India flight around 2 p.m.

Speaking to the media, Jayarajan said that a meeting will be held on Tuesday to decide the steps that the state government will take to help the family. After a guard of honour at the airport by the Central Reserve Police Force, the body was taken in a motorcade, with Alphons and Saseendran leading it.

The convoy stopped at Kozhikode where hundreds were waiting on the roads to pay their last respects. Vasanth Kumar's body was taken to his home and then to the LP School at Lakidi, where thousands waited for long to have the last glimpse of the martyr.

Later, the last rites were held with full state and military honours at the family cremation ground. The 40-year-old Vasanth Kumar returned to Srinagar earlier in February to take up his new assignment, after coming home on 10-day spell of leave.

He had completed 18 years of service and was due to take retirement in less than two years time. He is survived by his mother, his wife, and two children - an eight-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.