Even after losing his 28-year-old son in a Maoist encounter in Chattisgarh on Monday, Pitchialagu, a retired army man from Muthunagaiyahpuram village in Madurai district, is determined to send his younger son to join the army.
P Alagupandi’s family was heartbroken when the news of his death arrived, a month before he was to visit them.
“He wanted to meet his brother Pavithran before he left to join army. Also, his family had looked for a girl for his marriage, he wanted to meet her and then his marriage was to be fixed,” Muthusamy, Alagupandi’s cousin said.
Alagupandi had joined CRPF IN 2009. His body was brought to Madurai airport around 7pm on Monday.
“He used to call once in ten days and speak to everyone. When he was at the headquarters, he used to call often but when he used to go to the forest for his duty, he could not call much,” Muthusamy said.
But Alagupandi’s death has not deterred his father from letting his younger son Pavithran (23) join the army. “He has been selected for the army and his father is determined to send him to serve the country. He will be joining next month,” Muthusamy said.
Most of the people in the family are part of security forces. Pitchialagu retired from the Army about 20 years ago. Pitchialagu’s two daughters are married to an army man and a police officer respectively.
In the encounter, 25 paramilitary personnel were killed and six were injured in South Sukma region in Chattisgarh. The personnel were part of a 99-strong team who were providing security to workers building a road, reported Hindustan Times.
About 300 Maoists came down from hilltops and attacked the personnel while they were having lunch. This is said to be one of the worst Maoist attack in the last seven years.