In a tragic series of events, a jawan from Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district posted in Jammu and Kashmir passed away and his family has staged a road blockade, demanding the return of his body. Veeramani, a 32-year-old serving in the army died in the Valley, which is currently under lockdown and heavy military presence in the weeks following the abrogation of Article 370, which accorded special status to the region. However, it is unclear when and how he died.
According to one report in the Times of India, the family believes that he died in an encounter on duty. The local police in Jayamkondan have assured the family that Veeramani's body will be brought back with full military honours. As per the newspaper, the family was asked to fly to New Delhi in order to identify Veeramani's slain body. While the family finally identified the body on Thursday, the Ariyalur district administration and the ex-servicemen department in the district are unaware as to why the body has not been handed over.
According to one report in The New Indian Express, Veeramani, who has been serving in the army for 10 years, had been on duty when Article 370 was abrogated. However, according to police, it appears that the body has decomposed. Speaking to the newspaper, Jayankondam DSP Mohandoss said that the family was able to identify him. "Arrangements have been made to transfer the body to hometown. The body cannot be airlifted due to its current condition. So, it’s being brought by ambulance from Delhi. They will arrive in three days," the police official told TNIE. The delay prompted relatives of Veeramani to take to the streets on Friday evening in Ariyalur where they staged a dharna. Local police pacified the family, following which they withdrew their protest.