12-year-old lights dad’s pyre

UDAIPUR: The mortal remains of the slain CRPF soldier Narayan Lal Gurjar (45), one among the 44 soldiers martyred in the terror attack in Pulwama, reached his native village, Binol, in Rajsamand district on Saturday.

Draped in the Indian flag, the soldier’s mortal remains were received by thousands of people a t J K L a n d i n g S t r i p who chanted slogans ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.

Rajsamand Member of Parliament Hari Om Singh Rathore, Rajsamand MLA Kiran Maheswari, minister Udai Lal Anjana, f o r mer minister a nd MLA Gulab Chand Kataria and other senior politicians remained present on the occasion and paid tributes to the soldier.

The people took out a mass procession that passed through the village where people garlanded the soldier’s body. The body was taken for cremation. Gurj a r ’ s 12-year-old son Mukesh lit the funeral pyre.

Mukesh said he too wanted to join the defence forces and serve the nation. Gurjar is survived by his wife, son and 17-year-old daughter.

His relatives said he had returned to his unit on February 11.

As a mark of respect to the fallen soldiers, business establishments in major markets of Udaipur also downed shutters on Saturday.