Karnataka villager mourns Siachen's brave-heart today

Bengaluru :-The body of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad brought on Friday at night who had passed away on Thursday around 11:45 after battling for life and death since his miraculous survival in Siachen Glacier. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah including his Cabinet ministers H K Patil and Vinay Kulkarni, Opposition leader in the assembly Jagadish Shettar, among others, received the body at the airport. The state government announced as an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved family. CM Siddaramaiah has also announced a site, land, job for Hanamanthappa’s wife and memorial for the braveheart. The body will be kept at KIMS hospital in Hubballi tonight. It will be kept to Nehru Ground in the city today where people to pay their last respects. The last rites will be performed in the afternoon tomorrow at Betadur village in Kundagol taluk of Dharwad district in north Karnataka. A lot of people had gathered on the road and around the road leading to the KIMS hospital from the airport. “All arrangements for public viewing and last rites have been made at his village, it will be done with state honours,” he added.