While the State Government had unconfirmed reports of Rathod's death on Monday itself, a telegram from the Army reached his Meghaninagar residence on Tuesday informing that his body was found in Kargil.

However, uncertainty prevails over the cremation. According to former member of Parliament Harin Pathak, he has received conflicting reports, one of which says the body was cremated on the battlefront, and the other saying the last rites were performed at Srinagar. Sources in the State Government said Rathod's body was found in a highly decomposed state.

However, efforts are being made by the State Government to bring the ashes to the city so that the family can perform the last rites. Home Minister Haren Pandya said there would be a guard of honour once theashes arrived. He said the State Government would give the martyr's family a compensation of Rs 5 lakh. Besides, Rs 50,000 would be given for a memorial and another Rs 50,000 for its upkeep.

Pandya and former MP Harin Pathak, Municipal Commissioner, Collector V S Gadhvi and Commissioner of Police P C Pandey visited Rathod's residence and offered condolences.

The telegram received by the Rathods says the body was found on June 26, and refers to an earlier letter the family received on June 25 saying Rathod was missing after he got separated from his teammates during an operation on June 4 in the Kargil sector.

Rathod was married in 1997 and his wife Rajshree is five months pregnant. She is now with her parents in Savar-Kundla, Saurashtra.

Rathod had joined the Army in 1991, against his mother Samjuben's wishes. Rathod was mostly posted in insurgency-infested areas in Jammu and Kashmir, and was to get a posting elsewhere after June.

After the news of Rathod's martyrdom spread, a large number ofpeople, including relatives and friends, thronged his Lakshminagar Society residence in Meghaninagar.