School in Thiruvananthapuram district honours jawan killed 26 years ago in terror attack

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Most of them were not even born when K Anil Kumar died in a terror attack at Taran Taran 26 years ago.  But that did not stop the students of Government Higher Secondary School, Neduvely, from remembering and honouring the old boy of their school who laid down his life for the nation. The school, near Vembayam, organised a function on Saturday - October 21 is Police Commemoration Day - to remember the former jawan of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and honour his aged parents.

In the ITBP, Anil Kumar was known for his shooting skills, school officials said. In fact, he had even won a prize for shooting. The youngster had joined ITBP - one of the five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) under the Union Home Affairs Ministry. It was raised after the 1962 war with China - in 1988. Anil was just 19 then. He served in the ITBP for two years and was deputed to the NSG after that. On the night of July 6, 1996, at around 1 am, he was killed in a terror attack in Taran Taran district in Punjab. School officials recalled one of the streets in the NSG camps in Haryana has been named ‘K Anil Kumar Marg,’ in his memory.

The school also honoured Anil’s parents, K Karunakaran Nair and J Santhakumari of Pallivilakath House, Vettinad, at the poignant function. ITBP assistant commandant Dr Harshavardhan presented them with the traditional ponnada. K T Sujeesh Kumar of the NSG, Pothencode Circle Inspector S Shaji, Anil Kumar’s sister Geetha, school principal P Anitha Kumari and headmistress K Jayasree were among those present. The students paid floral tributes at the ‘smriti mandapam.’ A documentary on the activities of the ITBP and the NSG was also screened.

One of the streets in the NSG camps in Haryana has been named ‘K Anil Kumar Marg,’ in his memory.

In the ITBP, Anil Kumar was known for his shooting skills, school officials said. In fact, he had even won a prize for shooting.