Andhra Pradesh Officials Honor Pahalagam Terror Victim from Visakhapatnam

Synopsis

On April 25, Andhra Pradesh ministers and residents of Visakhapatnam gathered to pay tribute to J. S. Chandramouli, who tragically lost his life in the Pahalgam terror attack. His funeral saw heartfelt farewells from family and community leaders, highlighting his dedication to service and the community's outrage over the brutal attack.

Key Takeaways

Tributes paid by Andhra Pradesh ministers to J. S. Chandramouli.
Final rites conducted with emotional farewells.
Community remembers him as a dedicated individual.
Chief Minister announced ex gratia payments for victims’ families.
Chandramouli was among 26 tourists killed in the attack.

Visakhapatnam, April 25 (NationPress) Officials from Andhra Pradesh, along with local citizens, gathered on Friday to honor J. S. Chandramouli, a victim of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.

The final rites for the retired bank employee were conducted as family, friends, and community members said their heartfelt goodbyes.

Among those paying their respects were State Home Minister V. Anitha, Health Minister Sathya Kumar, MLAs Palla Srinivas Rao and Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Anakapalli MP C. M. Ramesh, and other prominent leaders.

Community members expressed outrage over the heinous killing of Chandramouli, remembered fondly by friends and neighbors as a dedicated gentleman involved in numerous social initiatives.

Chandramouli's remains were returned to Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, and the family chose to wait for the arrival of his two daughters from abroad before proceeding with the funeral.

At 68 years old, Chandramouli was among the 26 tourists who lost their lives to terrorist acts in Pahalgam on April 22.

Chandramouli, along with his wife J. Naga Mani and two relatives, had traveled to Kashmir on April 18, visiting various tourist spots.

As per his family, while others escaped, he was unable to run due to a cardiac condition, making him a target as the terrorists pursued him and shot him at close range. Initially presumed missing, his family later discovered his body at the site.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu personally received Chandramouli's remains at Visakhapatnam Airport on Wednesday evening, paying tribute and offering condolences to the grieving family.

The Chief Minister also declared an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh for the families of both Chandramouli and S. Madhusudhan Rao.

Madhusudhan Rao, a software engineer from Kavali in Nellore district, was another victim of the attack.

A resident of Bengaluru for the past 12 years, he had traveled to Kashmir with his wife and two young children.

The remains of Madhusudhan were transported back to Kavali on Thursday, where Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Ministers Nadendla Manohar, Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, and Sathya Kumar also paid their respects.