Kochi: Antony Sebastian had come home from the country's border in October and was planning to retire from the armed forces by March next year. However, his family is now waiting for the arrival of the soldier's body.
Lance Naik K M Antony Sebastian, 34, was martyred at the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir when Pakistani forces breached the border and shot at him on Monday.
The intruders started firing at the border guards around 5 pm at the Krishnaghatti sector (Mendhar) and the Indian forces retaliated. Havildar D. Marimuthu, injured seriously in the unprovoked firing, was moved to the Armed Forces Hospital at Poonch.
At Udayamperoor on the suburbs of Kochi, a pall of gloom hangs over Sebastian's 'Yesubhavan' home. His wife Anna Diana Joseph has not been able to accept the sad news yet.
“He had come home on October 2,” Sebastian's mother Sheela said. “Only the other day he told us he can return home after seeking (voluntary) retirement.”
Sebastian's only sister Nivya said: “He had planned to retire in 2017, when he completed 15 years. Somehow he could not. If he had returned then, he would have been alive with us now in this house.”
The family first received information by Monday evening that Sebastian has been injured. Brother-in-law Johns got the death confirmed as he called back.
Even the townfolks could not believe the news of the tragedy. Those who got the information were worried as to how they would convey it to the family. Members of a prayer group were the first to convey the news and offer condolences.
Sebastian's son Aidan, 7, stays close to his mother, unable to comprehend what's going on. He studies in Class II at the Prabhat School.
Unprovoked firing
Around 5.15 pm on Monday, Pakistan Army resorted to an unprovoked ceasefire violation in Krishna GhatiSector (Mendhar) on the Line of Control (LoC), an army spokesperson said.
While Antony Sebastian was killed, another jawan Havildar Mari Muthu D was critically injured in the ring. The injured were provided with medical aid and evacuated to Military Hospital, Poonch, he added.
"The Indian Army has retaliated strongly and effectively on Pakistan Army posts. The martyrdom of the Indian Army soldier will not go in vain," he said.
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