VIJAYAWADA: An Army jawan from Guntur district was one among the two who were killed in the crossfire at the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. The soldier, identified as Maruprolu Jaswanth Reddy (23), hails from Dariwada Kothapalem village of Bapatla mandal in Guntur district.
According to officials, the incident took place during a counter-insurgency operation in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district.
Family members said that Jaswanth was slated to get married in a month’s time. He was betrothed to a woman when he came home during holidays, a few months ago.
Sources said that preparations were on full swing for his marriage in the village as Jaswanth was supposed to be married later in August.
CM condoles death, govt announces 50L ex-gratia
Officials said that the jawan’s body would be arriving at Bapatla on Friday night.
Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condoled his death. Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan also conveyed his condolences. The government announced Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the soldier.
Security forces came across a group of militants, who infiltrated from across the LoC. Soon, exchange of fire took place between two sides at Daddal village when Jaswanth Reddy along with Naib Subedar Sreejith were martyred on the spot.
Jaswanth joined the army in 2016 in 17 Madras regiment. After completing his training, he was posted to Nilagiri and then transferred to Jammu and Kashmir. A pall of gloom descended on Dariwada Kothapalem village as his parents Srinivas Reddy and Venkateswaramma went into a state of shock.
