Hundreds of people from nearby villages, members of various organisations, officials, and political leaders thronged Mellahalli on Sunday to pay homage to martyred Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan H. Guru.
Guru, the eldest son of Honnaiah and Chikkolamma who died in the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14, was laid to rest at Mellahalli, about 1 km from his village, Gudigere Colony, late on Saturday.
The general public was not allowed to pay last respects to Guru on Saturday owing to the delayed arrival of the mortal remains. Hence, many people visited Mellahalli and performed puja at his cremation site on Sunday. They also collected ashes from the place, according to sources close to Guru’s family. A group of NSS students from Ramanagaram district told The Hindu that they would immerse the ashes in the Cauvery at Srirangapatna and pray for the families of every soldier in the country.
Film team’s visit
Actors Rishab Shetty and Haripriya, along with team members of their Kannada film Bell Bottom , visited Mellahalli and spoke to the bereaved family. They handed over a cheque for ₹25,000 to the family. Congress leader Chandrashekar from Mandya handed over a cheque for ₹1 lakh to Ms. Chikkolamma.
Ms. Chikkolamma told presspersons that she was ready to send her another son, H. Anand, to serve in the military. “We are proud of our son for sacrificing his life for the country. I am ready to send Anand [a Home Guard] to serve in the military. The Central government should consider our request,” she said. Ms. Chikkolamma said Guru had not informed them initially that he had joined the CRPF. According to her, Guru had told them he was joining the Police Department. Only after several months, they came to know that he had joined the CRPF, she said.
Sumalatha’s help
In a goodwill gesture, actor Sumalatha, wife of actor-turned-politician late M.H. Ambareesh, has announced that she would donate half an acre of land to Guru’s family at Ambareesh’s village Doddarasinakere, a few km away from Gudigere Colony in Maddur taluk. Guru hailed from an economically poor background and his parents run a laundry shop for their livelihood. The family had no land to perform his last rites.
Ms. Sumalatha, who is in Malaysia with her son, Abhishek, released a video message and announced that she would donate the land.
“I came to know that the family had no land to perform the last rites of Guru. I along with Abhishek have decided to give half an acre of land to the martyr’s family. I am doing my duty as a daughter and daughter-in-law of Mandya. The land that we have decided to offer has ample water resources,” she said in the message.
Infosys Foundation decision
According to sources, Infosys Foundation too has decided to offer ₹10 lakh to Guru’s family and the foundation chairperson Sudha Murty would visit the family in March.
Jawan’s father, wife treated at PHC
The father and the wife of Guru were treated at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Kala Muddana Doddi in Maddur taluk on Sunday.
Ever since they learnt of Guru’s death, his parents, wife, Kalavathi, and brothers H. Madhu and H. Anand have been exhausted owing to lack of food, water, and sleep.
Mr. Guru’s father and wife collapsed on Sunday and were rushed to the PHC. Though they were discharged later, their health condition would be monitored continuously, their neighbours said.
