Belagavi: After 26 years in the Indian Army, Subedar Basavaraj Patil (45) from Khangao, near Gokak was serving the last leg of his service with the 21st Madras Regiment.
He left home for Kashmir where he was deployed by the Army in April telling his parents that he would spend the rest of his life with them after retirement two years later. But that was not to happen. Basavaraj died in a landmine blast on the Kashmir border on Saturday.
The whole of Khangao is in a state of shock after losing their brave son. Thousands of people thronged the village to pay their last respects to him when his body arrived on Monday afternoon. His mother Dundawwa was inconsolable and remembered the last words of Basappa that he would retire soon and stay at home serving his parents.
“After serving the nation for so long, I thought he would come back and take care of me. I never dreamt he would come back wrapped in the tri-colour,'' she said remembering the last phone call he made to her merely five days ago.
He had joined the Army in August 1990 and was promoted as Subedar in Madras Regiment for his bravery and good service. A father of two children, Basavaraj leaves behind his wife Shekhawwa, parents, and three brothers.
His daughter was married to an Army soldier recently and his son is doing his 2nd PU. His youngest brother, Suresh serves in the 18th Madras Regiment. When Basavaraj last spoke to Suresh on Friday, he had informed him of the long patrol duty on the border.
“Serving the nation was a passion for Basavaraj. He always wanted to do something adventurous as a soldier,'' Suresh recalls. DC N Jairam, SP Krishna Bhat and several top officials and leaders from Belagavi district took part in his funeral Monday.
