Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar, Martyred in Pathankot Terror Attack, To Be Cremated Today

                                      
BENGALURU:  The body of Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar, an officer of the National Security Guard (NSG), was brought to his Bengaluru home on Sunday night. Last rites for the martyred officer will be performed in his hometown Palakkad in Kerala today.

Lt. Col. Kumar, a bomb disposal expert, was killed on Sunday morning while defusing a grenade after terrorists attacked an Indian Air Force base in Punjab's Pathankot. Four jawans were also injured in the grenade blast; one of them is in serious condition.

Lt. Col. Kumar, 34, is survived by his father, his wife Dr KG Radhika and a two-year-old daughter. The Army officer was promoted to Lt. Col. in the elite NSG a few months ago.

The officer's father EK Sivaranjan brought his son's body, wrapped in the Indian Tricolour, to Bengaluru, where the family has lived for many years. "From the beginning, he was very much interested to join the Army," Mr Sivaranjan said.
 Fellow Army officers in uniform and many others paid tribute to the martyr at his home in Dodda Bommasandra. Neighbours said Lt. Col. Niranjan Kumar was a jovial man and very popular in the area.

The NSG commando was among seven security personnel killed in the terrorist attack at the Pathankot air base, where heavy firing is still on. Those killed included Commonwealth Shooting Gold Medallist Fateh Singh and Garud Commando Gursevak Singh.

Five terrorists have been killed in the Pathankot gun-battle which began at 3.30 am on Saturday.