Thousands bid tearful adieu to Major Rane in Thane
Thane, Aug 9 : Thousands of people, including grieving family members, bid a tearful goodbye to Major Kaustubh P. Rane, who was consigned to the flames with full military honours in his hometown here on Thursday afternoon.
Rane, 29, was among the four soldiers killed in a gunfight with terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipura district on Tuesday.
A stoic Prakash Rane lit the funeral pyre of his son while the soldier's wife Kanika and minor son Agastya stood behind, amidst cries of "Major Kaustubh Rane Amar Rahe," "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram" in Mira Road town.
A military band played the last post. Soldiers, police officials and elected representatives offered their last respects to the Major before the funeral pyre was lit.
Nearby, women soldiers consoled his mother Jyoti, his sister Kashyapi and other relatives who cried inconsolably.
Earlier on Thursday, Major Rane's coffin, draped in the national tricolour, arrived at his hometown in an Army truck where it was received by the family, Army and civilian officials. It was flown to Mumbai late on Wednesday from Srinagar.
As the funeral cortege wend its way through the town, thousands lined the roads on both sides or waited on buildings and terraces, showering flowers and waving the Indian flag.
Since Tuesday, the Mira Road township was in mourning over the death of the Major who lived over 25 years in Sheetal Nagar area, barely five kilometres north of Mumbai.
Large parts of the town observed a spontaneous shutdown as a mark of respect as the funeral procession journeyed from the Rane home in Sheetal Nagar to the Mira-Bhayander crematorium.
The only son of his parents, Rane fulfilled his childhood dreams of joining the armed forces by completing his military training from Pune and was commissioned as an officer from the elite Officers Training Academy, Chennai, in 2011.
Rane was decorated with the Sena Gallantry Medal by President Ram Nath Kovind on the 69th Republic Day celebrations this year.
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Karnataka Forest Minister warns against illegal tree felling amid gas shortage
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday directed officials to remain vigilant to prevent illegal tree felling in forests, areas bordering them, and government lands in the wake of increased demand for firewood due to LPG scarcity, triggered by the widening West Asia conflict.
In written instructions issued to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force, Meenakshi Negi, the minister said that the impact of the LPG shortage has been felt in Karnataka as well.
Citing that restaurants, resorts and homestays are facing difficulties in obtaining commercial LPG cylinders, and disruptions are being reported in the supply of domestic cooking gas, he has ordered officials to intensify patrols and surveillance to prevent illegal tree felling for firewood.
He further directed all forest circles and divisions to take appropriate patrol and precautionary measures.
The minister warned that if illegal tree felling occurs in forests or government land, the concerned range officer and staff would be held responsible.
