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Army officers and parents of 2nd Lt. E Thomas Joseph at the exhumation ceremony at Chakhabama on Monday.[/caption]
Dimapur, October 10 : Twenty-four years after he was martyred on June 12, 1992, the body of 2nd Lt. E Thomas Joseph of Indian Army was exhumed at Chakhabama today for burial at his home town Kottayam in Kerala. He was martyred while moving from Chakabams to Jessami as part of an Army convoy.
The body had to be buried at a church in Chakabama due to situational constraints those days, a defence release earlier said.
Besides his family members of the late soldier, Army officers, soldiers, Catholic community besides neigbouring villagers and media fraternity attended the exhumation ceremony.
Rev Father Felix Monteiro SJ, principal of St. Paul Institute of Education, Phesama, who attended the exhumation ceremony, prayed for eternal rest of the departed soul.
Late 2nd Lt. Joseph was honoured by the Chakhabama unit of Army and defence band in Indian Army tradition on the day.
Yose Basil, local Catechist of Good Shepherd Church, Kezo town, read the gospel in the Holy Bible at the exhumation ceremony.
