Proud UP village mourns its martyr

A pall of gloom descended on Asharfabad village in Sant Kabirnagar district, about 225 kilometres from here, the native village of Sergeant Sudhakar Yadav, who was one among the victims of Tuesday’s helicopter crash in Uttarakhand.

Almost the entire village descended on Yadav’s house as the news of his death reached the family.

His father Mahanand Yadav, principal of a primary school in the district said the Indian Air Force personnel from Gorakhpur Air Force Station delivered the news.

Mahanand said Sudhakar had come to the village around a fortnight back and had returned to Kolkata, where he was posted, after spending a few days. His younger brother is a constable in the Provincial Arms Constabulary (PAC).

Even in grief, Sudhakar’s family was proud of him. “He saved many a lives before he was killed,” his father said. The villagers demanded that Sudhakar’s statue be erected in the village as a mark of respect for him.

Sudhakar is survived by his wife and two children and they live in Kolkata, his family said.
Junior Warrant Officer A K Singh, who was also killed in Tuesday’s chopper crash near Gaurikund, belonged to Amethi district in UP.

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh each to the next of the kin of the two IAF jawans, on Wednesday.

The Mi-17 chopper had crashed near Gaurikund while undertaking a rescue mission in Uttarakhand on Tuesday amid foggy weather.

Financial help

Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Indian Air Force and NDRF personnel in a chopper crash in Uttarakhand including NDRF sub inspector Satish Kumar from Haryana.

Hooda conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family of Kumar and announced financial assistance of Rs five lakh to next of kin of the sub inspector who belonged to Dudhwa village in Bhiwani district.