Sukma martyrs cremated with full state honours
ROHTAK/KARNAL : Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawan Naresh Kumar, who was killed in an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukna on Monday, was cremated with full state and army honours at his native village Jainpur in Sonepat’s Murthal.
Kumar’s body reached his village on Wednesday morning after which it was taken to Yamuna Ghat for cremation.
Kumar is survived by his wife Rajbala, daughter Preeti, 20, and sons Pritam, 14, and Prince, 10.
The cremation was attended by local bodies minister Kavita Jain, Sonepat MP Ramesh Kaushik, All India Anti-terrorist Front chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta, among others.
While the Haryana government announced to immediately release ₹ 50 lakh ex gratia for the bereaved family, CRPF DIG AS Chaddha said the family will be given an assistance of around Rs 1 crore under family pension and risk fund for deployment in Naxal-active area.
Thousands of residents gathered to bid a tearful adieu to the jawan, who had been serving in the paramilitary force since 1987. Eldest among his five siblings, Kumar had started working as labourer when he was in Class 8 to support his family.
He had joined the CRPF as a constable when he was studying in Class 10. He was promoted as assistant sub-inspector in 2011, when he was shifted to Rapid Action Force (RAF) wing of the CRPF in Meerut. He was posted in Sukma in July, 2016.
The mortal remains of CRPF constable Ram Mehar were consigned to flames with full army and state honours at his native village Kheri Man Singh in Karnal district on Wednesday morning. Ram Mehar, 41, was among the 25 security personnel killed in an ambush by Maoist militants in Sukma region of Chhattisgarh. The martyr’s son Rohit lit the funeral pyre as his wife Poonam and daughter Lavisha gave him the last salute. .
Haryana minister of state Karan Dev Kamboj also attended the funeral and announced Rs 50 lakh financial assistance to the family of the martyr.