Thousands pay tribute to Bihar bravehearts
Thousands joined the final journey of the CRPF jawans, Ratan Kumar Thakur and Sanjay Kumar Sinha, who were martyred in Pulwama on Thursday.
Their bodies were cremated with state honours at Bhagalpur and Fatuah respectively. Union ministers, cabinet colleagues of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, too, joined the funeral processions and attended the final rites at the cremation grounds. The CM led the state in paying tributes at Patna airport.
Thousands had lined up enroute the cremation grounds to pay their homage to the two jawans whose mortal remains were taken to Triveni Ghat at Fatuah from his ancestral home—Tarengana and at Bhagalpur from Kahalgaon NTPC helipad.
Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ramkripal Yadav, Ashiwin Kumar Chaubey, Giriraj Singh, BJP national spokesman Shahnawaj Hussain, too, joined the funeral processions.
Senior officers, including divisional commissioners, DMs and SSPs were also present when the guard of honours were presented.
CM Kumar, who had earlier announced ex-gratia of Rs11 lakh each, in the noon raised the amount of ex-gratia to Rs36 lakh per family. He said the state government will bear the expenses of education of the children and marriage of the daughters of the two jawans. DMs concerned have been asked to meet the family members and inquire about their requirements which would be met by the state government.
Earlier, the bodies of the two jawans were brought to Patna airport by special IAF plane. CM, deputy CM,
CM Nitish Kumar, who had earlier announced ex-gratia of Rs11 lakh each, in the noon raised the amount of ex-gratia to Rs36 lakh per family. The state govt will bear the expenses of education of the children and marriage of the daughters of the two jawans.
leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, ministers were present at the airport.
At Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur, the revenue minister, Ram Narayan Mandal, among thousands others received the body at helipad.
Muzaffarpur observed bandh on Saturday in the memory of the two jawans.
All parts of the state witnessed the bandh and commercial centres and shops were shut and road deserted .
Students took out the processions in Patna shouting slogans — “Indian Army zindabad, Pakistan murdabad”. They marched on Ashok Rajpath, Rajendra Nagar and Gandhi Maidan. Candlelight vigils were taken out in almost all the residential colonies of the state capital on Saturday evening too.
Large number of people assembled at Kargil Chauk with candelights. Candlelight processions all over the state marked the mouring.
Students and teachers of Vanijya Mahavidyalaya too observed the silence for two minutes. In a resolution, they demanded the forces should be empowered to shoot the stone-pelters in Kashmir and direct action against Pakistan.