Bengaluru: The Bengalureans paid thier last respects at the BEL PU College Grounds to the brave NSG officer, who was martyred during Pathankot terror attack three days back.
Thousands of people along with his friends, relatives, schoolmates, college mates, teachers and colleagues paid homage to the slain NSG commando Lt. Col E.K. Niranjan Kumar on Monday.

The ground saw as many as 15,000 people, including army, air-force and navy personnel and NCC cadets, where his mortal remains were kept.

The slain NSG officer’s body arrived in a military aircraft at the HAL airbase, and was shifted to the Command Hospital’s morgue. After formal paper work and procedures were completed, the mortal remians were handed over to the family. Then it was taken to the BEL ground around 9.30 am in a military truck for the public to pay their last respects.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah after paying homage to the officer, said, “Lt Col Niranjan Kumar was one among the seven military personnel who laid down their lives for our country. The country has lost an efficient and young officer.”

“Rs 30 lakh was granted to the family of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando who was martyred during 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Lt Col Kumar’s family too will be suitably compensated.”

From the BEL Ground, the mortal remains were flown by a special military chopper to the family’s hometown Elambassery in Palakkad, Kerala, where it reached in the evening. The body will be kept in state in Palakkad on Tuesday and the last rites will be conducted later in the day, Lt Col Kumar’s family members said.

Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar, former Union minister Veerappa Moily, MPs Rajiv Chandrashekar and P.C. Mohan, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda, and BJP leader S. Suresh Kumar paid last respects.