Millennium Post

Last rites of former army officer Anil Kale killed in Gaza conducted in Pune

The last rites of Colonel (retd) Waibhav Anil Kale, a former Indian army officer who was killed in Rafah region of Gaza earlier this week while working with the United Nations (UN), were performed here on Friday with full state honours.

The mortal remains of the 46-year-old former infantry officer were flown here earlier in the day, and kept at his residence in Kalyaninag­ar for some time before they were taken to the crematoriu­m in Pune Cantonment.

Besides family members, his colleagues in the army, course-mates from the National Defence Academy (NDA), friends and government officials were present at the crematoriu­m.

Wrapped in the Indian tricolour and the UN flag, he was cremated with full state honours.

Colonel Kale, who had joined the UN as a security service coordinato­r two months ago, was killed on Monday while travelling in a vehicle carrying

the UN flag when it came under fire.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN SecretaryG­eneral Antonio Guterres, had said that the UN had establishe­d a fact-finding panel to look into the deadly attack.

Originally from Nagpur, Kale had retired from the army prematurel­y in 2022, and settled down in Pune before joining the UN.

Harshad recalled that he always wanted to join the army as some other members of the family were serving in the armed forces.

“As he had worked in the UN peacekeepi­ng mission earlier, he decided to join the UN (after leaving the army), but that career turned out to be short,” Harshad said.

One of Kale’s coursemate­s from the NDA who came from Delhi to attend the last rites

reminisced that Kale had an infectious smile and positive attitude.

Pune divisional commission­er Chandrakan­t Pulkundwar, Brigadier (retd) Rajesh Gaikwad, director of the Department of Maharashtr­a Sainik Welfare; and serving and retired military veterans paid homage to Kale.

He is survived by his mother, wife, son and daughter.