Hyderabad: The body of Siachen hero Mustaq Ahmed was flown to Hyderabad on Monday. Senior officials from the Army and other departments, and citizens paid homage to Ahmed when his body reached Begumpet airport in a special aircraft from New Delhi. Ahmed, a native of Kurnool, was one of the 10 soldiers who perished in a Siachen avalanche. His body was flown to Kurnool from where it will be shifted to his native Parnapalle village by road for the final rites.
Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed, 30, had joined the Madras Regiment’s 19th Battalion in September 2004. During his career spanning over a decade he had been part of the battalion’s counter militancy team in the North-East and in Jammu & Kashmir. A sports enthusiast, Ahmed had later volunteered to join the Rashtriya Rifles deployed in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir.
On August 15, when the battalion was to be deployed to the Siachen Glacier, Ahmed had volunteered to be part of one of the most crucial posts on the glacier at an altitude of 19,600 feet, with sub zero temperatures.
He, along with his nine companions who were guarding the post, was buried in the avalanche on February 3. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, who was alive at the time of rescue, died on February 11. Ahmed is survived by his wife Nasimunnisa and his parents.
Proud of our son’s sacrifice: Parents
Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed had inspired the youths of the tiny village of Parnapalle, that has produced 15 soldiers. Ahmed used to regularly inspire the village youths to join the armed forces. Ahmed had joined the Army in 2004 after completing his Intermediate from Nandyal Junior College in Kurnool district. He and his wife Naseemunnisa have a six-month-old son, Mohsin. Recalling their plans to build a house on three cents of land at Nandyal, Ms Naseemunnisa said, “My husband came five months ago to see our son and wanted to build our own house.”
Ahmed’s parents and family are proud that he sacrificed his life for the country. “We were in tears for the first three days... but we are proud of our son being praised by the entire country,” said Ahmed’s father Ibrahim, recalling that his son was part of a team that fought terrorists in Punjab in 2008. Ahmed was the youngest among four sons and two daughters. While Mr Ibrahim and Ahmed’s two brothers are farm workers, another brother is in Dubai in search of work.
On Monday about 100 Army personnel More than 200 police officials from Kurnool district have been deputed for the final rites on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishna Murthy, leader of the Opposition Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and several others will attend the funeral. Meanwhile Ahmed’s body could not be flown from Hyderabad due to bad light and it was taken by road. The body is expected to the village late at night.
