Karnataka - Belgaum   

Martyr’s statue to be unveiled

Staff Correspondent

A HERO REMEMBERED: Raju C. Kamble

Belgaum: He had promised his family that he would return to spend some days with them during holidays. He never disclosed to his family about his location and assignment except that he was in Punjab. And, on the morning of July 7, 2006 his family and the village woke up to the sad news that Raju C. Kamble was killed in a bomb attack by terrorists in Pathankot in Punjab. He was just 23 when he became a martyr.

To observe the first death anniversary of Kamble, people of his village and those from the neighbouring villages will gather at Jalalpur of Raibag taluk on July 7 to pay tributes to the war hero. A life-size statue of the martyr will be installed to mark his first death anniversary.

Kamble, one of the two sons of Siddappa Kallappa Kamble and Mallava Siddappa Kamble, had joined as sepoy of the Indian Army soon after passing II PUC and became a member of the No. 10 Madras Regiment.

On July 7, 2006, Raju along with other Army personnel was fighting terrorists at the LoC at Pathankot. The proxy war started on the night of July 6, 2006 and he had gunned down seven terrorists by 11 p.m. He had reported to his battalion’s colonel about the suspected presence of a few more terrorists in the hideout and keeping a watch on the spot. But a sudden bomb attack at about 3 a.m. on July 7 killed him on the spot, his brother Vasant Kamble told The Hindu here on Tuesda y.

Raju is the first soldier from Raibag taluk to have died in action. The people of his village joined hands and decided to install a life-statue of the martyr. Raibag MLA B.C. Sarikar contributed from the MLA’s fund. The statue will be installed at the Government Kannada and Marathi Medium Boys High School at Jalalpur. Sri Siddaram Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji of Sri Kadsiddeshwar Mutt, Yadur, besides Minister for Horticulture Shahsikant A. Naik will attend the function.

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