Lieutenent Colonel Niranjan, a member of the NSG’s Bomb Disposal Squad, was martyred on Sunday while he was trying to retrieve a live grenade from the body of a dead terrorist at Pathankot Air Force base.
Lieutenent Colonel Niranjan GK’s body will be brought back to his hometown near here on Monday for the last rites, a relative said on Sunday.
Niranjan Kumar, whose parents hail from here, was settled in Bengaluru. He is survived by his wife and a two-year-old child.
“The body will be brought by road from Bengaluru tomorrow (Monday). It would be placed at a school near here for the public to pay their homage,” said Niranjan Kumar’s uncle.
The officer’s father has left from Bengaluru for Delhi to receive his son’s mortal remains, which will then be brought to Bengaluru on Sunday night.
Locals recalled that the officer was popular in the area and was of jovial nature.
The incident took place at the scene of the attack as part of the combing operations that continued through the night, Union home minister Rajnath Singh announced earlier on Sunday.
Four other security men were also injured in the blast. He was a resident of Kerala.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy will also be in Palakkad to pay his last respects to the departed officer.
