Thrissur (Ker), Dec 11 (PTI) Junior Warrant Officer A Pradeep, who was among those killed in the IAF helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, was cremated with full military and state honours at his village in Kerala's Thrissur district on Saturday.

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The last rites were held this evening at the premises of his residence at Ponnukkara village.

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The mortal remains were brought to Sulur airbase in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu from New Delhi at around 11 am and taken to Kerala by road. Representing the Kerala government, three ministers--K Radhakrishnan, K Krishnankutty and K Rajan--received the body at the Walayar checkpost.

The Kerala ministers and Union Minister V Muraleedharan, who arrived in Coimbatore in the aircraft carrying the body, accompanied it till his native place in Thrissur.

Thousands of people had gathered on both sides of the National Highway to pay homage to the departed soul.

Hundreds of people paid their last respects to the soldier when his mortal remains were brought to his school in Puthur at around 3 pm.

Later, the body was taken to his residence for cremation. His son lit the pyre.

Mourning the Warrant Officer's death, State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said Pradeep had volunteered for rescue operations during the 2018 floods in the state.

Pradeep joined the Air Force in 2004 and served in various parts of the country and participated in a number of missions.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and his Adviser Brigadier LS Lidder were among the 13 people killed in the air force chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Pradeep was serving as the Flight Gunner on the CDS' flight on Wednesday.

The lone survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, is currently under treatment.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)