Mixed emotions overwhelm Kerala family as it prepares to lay Thomas Cherian to rest 56 years after IAF plane crash over Rohtang Pass

File picture of vehicles on a snow-covered Rohtang Pass road.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Ever since the Odalil family at Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, received news that the mortal remains of Thomas Cherian, who died in a plane crash 56 years ago, have been recovered, they have been overwhelmed by a range of emotions — from shock to surprise and angst.

Cherian, a craftsman in the Indian Army, was just 22 years old when the Indian Air Force’s Antonov-12 aircraft crashed over the Rohtang Pass. The twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft, carrying 102 people including Cherian, went missing on February 7, 1968, while flying from Chandigarh to Leh.

Having not heard anything about Cherian since his disappearance, the family was shocked when the Aranmula police informed them on Monday (September 30, 2024) morning about the recovery of his remains. Following this call, the Army headquarters also reached out to provide more details.

Now, the family is waiting to receive Cherian’s remains so they can conduct the funeral and lay him to rest at their local parish – St. Peter’s Orthodox Church in Karoor. Hearing the news, the entire family gathered at their ancestral home to mourn together.

“The remains are scheduled to be brought to Chandigarh today and after completing the formalities there, they will be airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram, probably by Friday,” said Shaiju, the son of Cherian’s elder brother, Thomas Mathew.

“All three surviving siblings are currently at the ancestral home, while my father, who was also an Army man, passed away years ago. Everyone is eager to see the mortal remains one last time,” Shaiju added.

Cherian, the second of five children born to O.M. Thomas and Eliyamma, joined the Army at just 18. The eldest son, Thomas Mathew, has since passed away, while the other three siblings — Thomas Varghese, Mary Thomas, and Thomas — still reside in Elanthoor. O.M. Thomas was a former panchayat member of Elanthoor, and Eliyamma received a pension in her son’s name until her death in 1998.

Thomas Varghese was in Haridwar when he first learned of Cherian’s disappearance. At that time, Mary Thomas was just 12 years old, and Thomas Varghese, the youngest sibling, was only eight. The confirmation of the plane crash, however, did not come until 2003.

As per reports, the mortal remains of Cherian and three others were recovered during a joint operation led by the Dogra Scouts of the Indian Army and Tiranga Mountain Rescue team.