BSF jawan from Idukki falls to death while escaping J&K tent fire

Thodupuzha: A BSF jawan from Idukki fell to his death while trying to escape a tent fire near the Indo-Pak border at Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir early on Tuesday, according to information received here.

The deceased, Aneesh Joseph (44), of Vaduthalakunnel at Kochu Kamakshi, was to retire from service this month-end. He was in Kashmir as part of a joint BSF-Indian Army team deployed to monitor the Indo-Pak border.

Joseph of 63, BSF battalion was on duty in the 1 am to 3 am shift in a single-man tent pitched at a height of 15 feet. Around 1.30 am, the tent caught fire after a kerosene heater (bukhari) kept inside exploded. It has been assumed that Joseph jumped off the tent, and fell 15 feet down.

Other soldiers in the neighbouring tents, who responded to the explosion and fire, found Joseph dead. Senior military officials informed Joseph's relatives that he had died instantly of serious head injuries.

Meanwhile, the Army would also be probing a possible assault on the tent.

Joseph was the youngest son of the late Joseph Eappen and Ammini. His wife Seena Abraham is a BSF constable of the Gandhinagar regiment in Gujarat. Elena Maria Aneesh (Plus-1 student in Bengaluru), and Alona Maria Aneesh (Standard VI student) are his children.

The fatal accident occurred even as Joseph was to return home after 20 years in BSF. He had renovated his house at Kochu Kamakshi recently ahead of returning home.

The body was taken to Srinagar on Tuesday evening, where a post-mortem was conducted. The body would be flown down home via Nedumbassery on Wednesday. The funeral will be held at the Snehagiri St Sebastian's Church at Kochu Kamakshi.

Jolly, Sherly, Reji (St Antony's Gas Agency, Adimali) and Anto are the siblings of the deceased jawan.

Joseph was a fine athlete

Adimali: Aneesh Joseph, who fell to his death in Jammu and Kashmir, was the State kabaddi team captain while studying at the Government High School at Chempakappara, Erattayaar, in Idukki.

He had won several medals at the university level during his pre-degree days at EMS College in Nedumkandam. He was the university champion while pursuing a degree from St. Dominics College in Kanjirapally. He later shifted to Loyola College in Chennai.

Joseph's favourite event was the 100-metre dash. His wife was also a sprinter. Both of them joined BSF together.