2 jawans from Srikakulam martyred in Doda encounter

Srikakulam: A pall of gloom has descended on two villages of Srikakulam district following the death of two soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir in the line of duty. Their family members received communication to this effect about their death on Tuesday.

The martyrs were Sanapala Jagadiswara Rao, 40, from Vallabharayudupeta in Nandigama mandal, while the other was Dokkari Rajesh, 26, of Vaddithandra village in Santhabommali mandal.

Jagadiswara Rao was a Havildar and died in terrorist attack at Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. He is survived by wife and two daughters. Rajesh was unmarried and his parents are agricultural labour and his younger brother stayed in the village.

Union Minister For Civil Aviation K Rammohan Naidu and Minister For Agriculture K Atchannaidu expressed shock and consoled the family members over phone on Tuesday.

G Tirumala Rao, brother-in-law of Jagadeshwar Rao, 40, said the army havildar died in a gunfight with militants on Monday morning around 8.30 am at Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said Jagadeshwar Rao was on patrol duty when the lethal terrorist attack took place. His family members came to know of his death around 10.30 am on Monday through a phone call from the Army.

“An Army commandant called his (Jagadeshwar Rao) wife and informed her about the incident. The entire village has assembled at the late soldier’s house now and are waiting for his body to arrive,” Tirumala Rao said.

The family members received a mail from the Army which said that the mortal remains of the soldier will arrive at Visakhapatnam airport.

“My brother-in-law was a bold person and an encounter specialist. We never expected that something like this would happen. We are worried about his minor daughters,” Tirumala Rao said.

He expressed a bit of dissatisfaction that there is no recognition of the sacrifice made by Jagadeshwar Rao for the country, even in nearby localities, and lamented that media houses are ignoring his contribution.

According to Tirumala Rao, the soldier last came home about a month ago. He is survived by his wife, two minor daughters, father and mother. Jagadeshwar Rao’s wife, S Samatha, works as a constable in nearby Dimmilada village in Nandigam mandal of Srikakulam.

Jagadeshwar Rao joined the Army in 2003 and was a part of the 11 Rashtriya Rifles.