Guwahati, 24 April

The mortal remains of Indian Air Force Corporal Tage Hailyang, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, were flown in by a special flight to Guwahati in the early hours of Thursday.

Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah received the body at the Air Force base here around 1 am.

"Receiving the mortal remains of someone who travelled from afar only to return lifeless is an immensely painful experience. Tonight, with a heavy heart received the mortal remains of Corporal Tage Hailyang- brave son of Arunachal, at the Air Force base in Guwahati, who tragically lost his life in the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir yesterday," Baruah posted on X.

"May terrorism end once and for all! I firmly believe that the Government of India will respond to this heinous act without delay," he added.

Senior officials of the Assam government and the Indian Air Force were also present and paid their tributes to the deceased officer.

A resident of Tajang village in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, the corporal was on vacation to Pahalgam with his wife, who survived the attack.

The last rites of Hailyang will be performed in his native place.

Hailyang was among the 26 people killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.