M Murali Naik, a 25-year-old Indian Army soldier from Andhra Pradesh’s Satya Sai district, was martyred in the early hours of Friday during intense artillery and gunfire along the Line of Control (LoC). According to his family, the young jawan sustained injuries during a heavy exchange of fire and died while being evacuated.
“His senior officer called his mother at around 6 a.m. to inform her that Murali had been wounded between 3 and 3:30 a.m. while bravely retaliating after he and his fellow soldiers came under heavy shelling. He succumbed to his injuries while being moved to safety,” said Ranjit Naik, a relative.
Murali, who joined the Army in December 2022, was posted with the 851 Light Regiment. His parents, Mudavath Sriram and Jyothibai, were daily wage labourers working in Mumbai’s construction industry before they returned to their native village after Murali enlisted in the Army — fulfilling his lifelong dream of serving the nation. He was their only son.
He had last visited home on January 6 this year for a 15-day leave. His cousin recalled Murali making phone calls on the nights of May 6 and May 8, expressing concern over escalating firing from across the border.
“He said there was heavy shelling and that he was worried about his parents. I told him not to worry and that we would take care of them. He sounded anxious — something I had never seen in him before,” said Ranjit. “He described the continuous gunfire and the tense situation.”
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Murali was a former student of Vigyan High School in Somandepalli and had long dreamt of joining the armed forces. “He was proud to wear the uniform,” said his father Sriram Naik. “He was friendly, good-natured, and highly dedicated to his duty. He loved his country and always spoke about serving with honour.”
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu offered his condolences to Murali’s grieving family, describing the young soldier’s death as a great loss to the nation. He personally spoke to Murali’s parents, assuring them of full support from the state government and urging them to remain strong during this difficult time.
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed condolences. Hundreds of villagers gathered at the family’s home to mourn the loss and pay their respects to the fallen soldier.
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