Sanjha Morcha

Army officer’s remains reach home town after 24 years

Kottayam (Kerala), October 15

Twenty-four years after he lost his life fighting insurgents in Nagaland, Second Lt E Thomas Joseph’s mortal remains were brought to his home town of Kanjiramatttom and laid to rest with full state and military honours in a church there.The remains were taken in a procession to the Holy Cross Church yesterday and prayers were conducted by his family. Joseph died fighting Naga insurgents on June 12, 1992, and his body had been buried in a church at Chakabama in Nagaland.Thanks to efforts by Joseph’s batchmates at the Indian Military Academy, his parents were able to travel to Nagaland and bring back their son’s remains to their home state.  His father Subdedar Major (retd) AT Joseph and mother Rosamma Joseph were moist-eyed seeing the Tricolour draped casket carrying the remains of their son. They kissed the casket, bidding him the final farewell.  — PTI