Belagavi, Jun 7 (DHNS): Bharateshwar Rayappa Padanad, a 31-year-old soldier from Sankonatti village in Athani taluk, was among those who were killed in the Manipur ambush.

One among the Army troopers from Dogra Regiment, Bharateshwar was killed when militants ambushed an Army convoy at Moltuk Valley in the insurgency-infested Chandel district, in Manipur.

However, the district administration is yet to confirm the same. Deputy Commissioner N Jayaram said that they had not received any official information in this regard. A pall of gloom descended on Sankonatti village, after his brother, Prakash received the news of his death late on Friday. Bharateshwar is survived by his father Rayappa, mother Godawari, wife Sangeeta, two sons, Chiranjeevi (7) and Hritik (4). Bharateshwar, the sole breadwinner of his family, joined the Army in 2006. Born and brought up in abject poverty, the soldier completed his schooling and pre-university education from Jamakhandi.

His parents and brother toil in the two acres of land, which barely supports the family. The family stabilised a little after Bharateshwar joined the Army. Their hut was replaced with brick walls and tiled roofs. Bharateshwar had served in Jammu and Kashmir, Bhopal and Hyderabad. For the past three years, he had been posted in Manipur. He had returned to duty three months ago, after a vacation.

Family clueless

Apart from the Prakash, the other members of the family are in dark about the news of his death. The residents of Sonkonatti village are planning to break the news after the arrival of Bharateshwar’s body, which is expected on Sunday morning.