Pall of gloom descends on Mandya village

Mandya has lost its brave son, H Guru (33), belonging to the 82 Battalion of CRPF, in the ‘fidayeen’ attack near Srinagar on Thursday.

Guru is the son of Honnaiah and Chikkathayamma couple, and the eldest among three children. His two brothers Madhu and Anand work in Cesc and Homeguards respectively. Guru’s parents own a small laundry shop at KM Doddi.

The whole village was under shock as the news trickled that Guru, a native of Gudigere Colony, is one among the CRPF jawans, who were killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Guru was at his village until a week ago. He left for Srinagar on February 11, just three days before the terror attack on February 14. Guru’s mother had been confronting him to resign the job, fearing threat to life, and to settle in his native. But Guru was determined to serve the nation and convinced his mother not to worry unnecessarily.

He joined the CRPF in 2011 and served at Jharkhand for eight years. Later, he was deputed to Jammu and Kashmir after completion of a three-month training. He had come on leave to his native and stayed here for a month.

Guru had an ambition of constructing a house before getting married. Accordingly, he constructed a house and conducted the house warming ceremony 10 months ago. He got married to Kalavathy of Kanakapura taluk eight months ago.

He wanted to become a police officer and had even got a photo of him shot in police uniform. Later, he joined the CRPF. Anand, his younger brother was also inspired by him, and joined as a Home Gaurd.

Guru’s father Honnaiah took ill after hearing the news of his elder son’s deathHe was admitted to the hospital in an ambulance arranged by the District Home Guards Commandent K M Mahesh. Speaking to reporters, Mahesh said, he had contacted the CRPF office and the body is expected to reach the village on Saturday morning. Home Guards have been deputed to streamline the people, he said.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had called the family members over phone and offered condolences and assured of extending all government support and help.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa visited Gudigere on Friday, consoled the family members, and presented a compensation of Rs 1 lakh from the party fund.

MP L R Shivaramegowda, farmer leaders Badagalapura Nagendra and Darshan Puttannaiah, also visited the house and offered condolences. Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami visited the family and condoled the death of Guru.

DC N Manjushri, who visited Gudigere, informed that the final rites would be performed on the government land near the tender coconut market. But the villagers opposed it and demanded that the final rites be performed on the Malavalli-Maddur main road and a memorial be built.

The body is expected to reach the village on Saturday morning, the deputy commissioner said.