The mortal remains of soldier Thomas Cherian, who died after an aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed over the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh in 1968, was laid to rest on Friday.
The twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft AN-12, carrying as many as 102 people, had gone missing on February 7, 1968, while flying from Chandigarh to Leh. For decades, the wreckage and remains of the victims remained lost in the icy terrain.
A few days ago, the remains of Cherian and a few others were found by a joint team comprising personnel from the Dogra Scouts of the Indian Army and Tiranga Mountain Rescue.
The mortal remains of Cherian were received at Air Force Station Shangumugham in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday with full military honours.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Kerala Health Minister Veena George, military officials including Brigadier Salil M.P. and Group Captain T.N. Manikandan, and other military officials from the Army and Air Force, along with the relatives of the deceased soldier, including his brother Thomas Thomas, paid homage to the departed soldier.
On Friday morning, the soldier's mortal remains were brought to the residence of Shaiju K. Mathew, son of Cherian’s elder brother, Thomas Mathew.
The soldier's body was kept for public viewing between 1 and 2 pm.
The funeral took place at the Karur St Peter's Orthodox Church in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. He was laid to rest with full military honours in a specially prepared burial chamber.
"I was just 12 when the aircraft crash happened. I still have vivid memories of my brother. He used to bring us so many things whenever he came home," Cheriyan's sister has been quoted as saying. "We consider the recovery of his mortal remains as a great blessing. We thank God for this," she added.