'May terrorism end once and for all': Arunachal mourns IAF corporal killed in Pahalgam attack

IAF Corporal Tage HailyangHailyang, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, was among the 26 people killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.

Guwahati/ Itanagar: Receiving the mortal remains of someone who travelled afar only to return lifeless is an immensely painful experience, said Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah as he accepted the body of Indian Air Force Corporal Tage Hailyang in Guwahati in the early hours of Thursday.

Hailyang, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, was among the 26 people killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.

Baruah received the body at the Air Force base in Guwahati around 1 am.

"Receiving the mortal remains of someone who travelled from afar only to return lifeless is an immensely painful experience. Tonight, with a heavy heart received the mortal remains of Corporal Tage Hailyang- brave son of Arunachal, at the Air Force base in Guwahati, who tragically lost his life in the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir yesterday," he said in a post on X.

"May terrorism end once and for all! I firmly believe that the Government of India will respond to this heinous act without delay," he added.

Senior officials of the Assam government and the Indian Air Force were also present and paid their tributes to the deceased officer.

Hailyang's mortal remains reached his home in Tajang village in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Subansiri district around 7.30 am by road.

Ziro-Hapoli MLA Hage Appa, Lower Subansiri deputy commissioner Vivek HP, SP Keni Bagra and heads of government departments, and community-based organisations received the remains of Hailyang at Hapoli check gate at the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, along with Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, MLA Nakap Nalo, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, state BJP president Kaling Moyong, and IGP (Law and Order) Chukhu Apa joined thousands of people to pay their last respects.

The corporal was on vacation in Pahalgam with his wife, who survived the attack.

Hailyang will be laid to rest at his village on Friday, the SP said.