We have more respect for our Indian soldiers who guard the nation like a ‘shield’ in the Line Of Control. They go sleepless for days, climbs the mountain and terrain just to make sure that there is no infiltration in the region.
To add the fact that there is no bigger sacrifice than to give your life for the nation and our Major Kaustubh Rana neutralised 2 terrorists before receiving bullets in his chest. He happily died for the nation with lots of pride.
Major Kaustubh Rana will always be remembered for his unmatched bravery. The 29-year-old Major was among the four Indian Army soldier killed in a battle on the Line of Control (LOC) in North Kashmir’s Gurez sector of Bandipora district which is around 5 km away from Srinagar.
The other soldiers are Rifleman Mandeep Singh (26) of Shivpuri in Uttrakhand, Rifleman Hameer Singh (28), of village Pokhriyal in Uttrakhand and Vikramjeet Singh (25) of village Tepla in the Ambala district of Haryana. Kaustubh Rane had been promoted to a Major in January.
Major Kaustubh Rane’s last rites performed with full military honours. The funeral was led by Lt Gen Cherish Mathson, General Officer Commanding in Chief, South Western Command, of the Garhwal Rifles unit as well as Naval Bajaj, IGP, Konkan Range, Thane Rural police and personnel from the 3 Armed forces of the Indian Army. It is learnt that nearly 20,000 mourners joined the funeral procession.
The family has been living in Mira Road for over 30 years and Prakash is popularly called as ‘Rane Kaka’ in the locality. Local residents said that the parents, both retired. Kaustubh Rane was curious about joining the army since a very long time. He had completed 6 years in his duty.
Kaustubh Rane grew up in the locality and went to the Holy Cross School in the vicinity. Neighbours recalled him as a gentleman and jovial person who talks to everyone. Kaustubh’s parents were in deep shock and did not speak a work while his uncle Pratap Rane said that it was Kaustubh who would phone his parents then and then.
Kaustubh Rane, who belonged to the Army’s 36 Rashtriya Rifles left his wife Kanika and two-and-a-half-year-old son who are residing in their native town in Konkan and will arrive in Mumbai soon.
