Varanasi: The mortal remains of Indian Air Force flight engineer Vishal Kumar Pandey, who died in Mi-17 chopper crash in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, were expected to reach his home in Hukulganj locality of the city late evening on Thursday. District officials said cremation was likely to be held later in the night.Chief development officer (CDO) Gaurang Rathi, who is presently holding charge of the district magistrate also, said that the body was expected to arrive in the city by 9.30 pm and cremation will take place at Harishchandra Ghat be amid full state honour.Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on the family of Vishal (34) when the news of his demise reached here as he was to come home on Holi. He was among the six IAF personnel who lost their lives in the crash at Budgam district of Kashmir on Wednesday morning.People and well-wishers started flocking his house in Hukulganj to console the bereaved family. His grief-stricken mother was hard to console. Vishal’s in-laws from Sunderpur area also reached his house.“It is a sad and heart-breaking moment for us, but we are proud of my son as he died in nation’s duty. My only demand from the government is that Pakistan should be crushed completely so that never such a situation can occur. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hearing my voice, it is my request to him to do something soon,” said Vishal’s father Vijay Shankar Pandey, who works as a manage at a cinema hall.According to him, Vishal joined IAF 14 years ago as an engineer. He is survived by his wife and two kids. He had visited Varanasi in February 2018, and hoped to come home in Holi festival. “But, instead we received news of his death around 4pm of Wednesday,” he added.Vishal’s wife Madhavi Pandey, six-year-old son Vishesh Pandey and four-year-old daughter Dhara are presently in Jammu, while other members of the family including parents, two brothers and two sisters are in Varanasi.

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