Nuapada/Komna: Residents of Nuapada district plunged into mourning after the body of a slain BSF jawan who died during a combing operation post the Uri terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir reached here Sunday.
Pitabas Majhi of the Border Security Force (BSF) was killed in an ambush attack during a search operation in Uri sector Thursday. He stumbled upon a landmine concealed in the ground and the resultant explosion left him critically wounded.
He was rushed to a hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries Friday, an Army spokesperson said. Majhi is survived by his wife Bedamati, who is now pregnant.
Majhi hails from Danojhala village under Komna block in Nuapada district.
An overwhelming sense of grief and melancholy prevailed in the village as an Indian Air Force plane carrying Majhi’s body reached Raipur at 8 am. Later, a special van of the Indian Army carrying Majhi’s coffin reached the district headquarters and made its way to Khariar Road and from there on to his Danajhola village.
Cries of ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Pitabas Majhi Amar Rahe’ rent the air as thousands of locals lined the road to pay their respects to the departed soldier.
Villagers paid their last tributes to the departed soul by performing Sankirtans. The body was then taken to his house where many paid homage.
Later, the body was taken to the village cremation ground where police jawans gave him a guard of honour as family members and villagers buried his body in accordance with Gond community traditions.
Majhi’ s father Rudra Singh, his brothers, district collector Md Sidque Alam, superintendent of police MS Sampath, additional district magistrate Trilochan Minz and a host of senior administrative officials and political personalities were present during his funeral. PNN
