Murali Naik, an Indian Army jawan from Andhra Pradesh (AP), was killed during cross-border firing by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday night. He was a resident of Kalli Thanda village under Gorantla mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district of AP.

Announcing the death on his ‘X’ handle, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said, “It is saddening to hear about the loss of life of a soldier named Murali Nayak from Gorantla Mandal, Penukonda Assembly Constituency, Sri Sathya Sai district in the defence of the country. Tributes to the martyr Murali Nayak, who laid down his life for the country. I express my deepest condolences to his family members.”

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The chief minister later spoke with the parents, Jyotibai and Sriram Naik, who hail from a tribal hamlet. Expressing his heartfelt condolences, Naidu said the nation would forever remember the 25-year-old soldier who laid down his life. He assured the bereaved family that the state government would stand firmly by them. He spoke about the young soldier’s sacrifice at Anantapur and urged the gathering to observe two minutes of silence to pay their homage to the fallen soldier.

The body of the slain soldier is expected to reach his native village tomorrow morning. AP IT minister Nara Lokesh stated, “We will perform the last rites of Murali Nayak with full state government honours. We will support his family in every way.”

AP governor S Abdul Nazeer and Opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed their condolences.