With Chants of “Long Live the Brave Soldier,” Final Salute Given to Martyr Swapnil SonawaneGude Village in Bhadgaon Taluka Mourns

Jalgaon, Aug 2025 : Constable (GD) Swapnil Subhash Sonawane of the 57th Battalion, Border Security Force (BSF), was laid to rest with full military honors in his native village, Gude (Tal. Bhadgaon), on Tuesday morning after his death in the line of duty due to electrocution. The entire area echoed with the chants of “Long live the brave soldier” as villagers, relatives, dignitaries, and ex-servicemen tearfully bid farewell to their valiant son.

On the evening of August 9, at the BOP Dholaguri, while repairing a border floodlight pole, Soldier Sonawane suffered a severe electric shock and was critically injured. He was rushed to Balurghat District Hospital, but he breathed his last before treatment could begin.

At 10:00 AM yesterday, the funeral was performed with full military honors. Present at the ceremony were Tehsildar Sheetal Solat, Police Sub-Inspector Sudhir Sonawane, District Sainik Welfare Officer Sanjay Gaikwad, BSF 57 Battalion Inspector Kamal Kishore and the ceremonial salute squad, former MLA Dilip Wagh, former chairman Vikas Patil, Agriculture Association Chairman Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, former ZP member Sanjay Shravan Patil, Gude village Sarpanch Kalpana Mahajan, Bhadgaon Ex-Servicemen Federation President Pramod Patil, Vice-President, Secretary and ex-serviceman Bapu Patil, Shiv Sena Taluka Chief Samadhan Patil, Harshal Patil, Shivdas Patil, Vaishali Suryawanshi, Sumit Patil, Police Patil Milind Mohan More, and various other dignitaries.

The death of Soldier Sonawane has cast a pall of grief over the region. Many expressed that his courage and dedication will remain an inspiration for future generations.