Amidst shouting deafening patriotic slogans and emotional scenes, mortal remains of Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Flight Lieutenant Advitiya Bal were consigned to flames on Saturday in his native village Jinder-Mailo near the India-Pakistan border in R S Pura area of J&K.
Thousands of people, the majority of youth from the border belt of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts, participated in the last journey of the young officer, who was a role model for the youth of the border area.
Carrying tricolours in their hands' hundreds of youth, riding on bikes, were seen moving towards Jinder-Mailo village after getting information that the mortal remains of Advitiya Bal have reached Jammu.
When mortal remains reached the village, thousands of people were already gathered there. People with tears in their eyes lined up on both sides of the road and raised slogans for the killed officer.
Solemn wreath-laying ceremony held
Earlier in the morning, a solemn wreath-laying ceremony was organized at the Air Force Station, Jammu where the mortal remains of Flt. Lt. Advitiya arrived in a service aircraft. Advitiya's father and brother had gone to Rajasthan to bring his body to Jammu.
Air Commodore GS Bhullar, AOC Jammu, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, and other senior military and civil officers paid tributes to braveheart. The mortal remains were then taken by road to his native place at RS Pura for the last rites with full military honours.
"Advitiya had joined IAF to fight enemies, not die in a plane crash"
"Our child had joined IAF because he was passionate about fighting enemies on the battlefield, but after his death in the crash, his goal will remain unfulfilled," said Karamveer, uncle of the martyr, who is also a retired Army personnel.
He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to immediately retire the entire fleet of aging MiG-21 jets so that no more young lives are lost. Pertinent to mention that MiG-21 alone has so far claimed the lives of about 200 Indian Pilots.
Advitiya Bal was among two pilots who died on Thursday evening in a MiG-21 crash at Barmer in Rajasthan.
A pass out of Sainik School Nagrota from batch 2007-2014, Bal was a new age role model for children of the border belt.
Rich tribute paid to braveheart@ddnews_jammu @diprjk @dcjammuofficial @JmuKmrPolice @KSBSectt pic.twitter.com/PH1yph0UcK
— PRO Defence Jammu (@prodefencejammu) July 30, 2022
Div Com Jammu, @Rameshkumarias attended the last rites of Flight Lt Advitiya Bal in his native village Jinder Mehlu R.S.Pura and paid homage to the brave heart who attained martyrdom in Barmer, Rajasthan yesterday. @diprjk pic.twitter.com/keB2ZwvxW6
— Divisional Commissioner Jammu (@Divcomjammu) July 30, 2022
