New Delhi: Soldiers Ajay Singh and Bijendra, two of the four Army personnel killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, were cremated with full state honours in their native places in Rajasthan on Wednesday.
The bodies of Captain Brijesh Thapa from Darjeeling and Naik Dokkari Rajesh from Andhra Pradesh — who too were killed in the gunfight — are yet to reach their ancestral homes.
The mortal remains of Captain Thapa will be taken to his native place Lebong from Bagdogra in northern West Bengal on Thursday morning while Naik Rajesh’s body is expected to arrive at Visakhapatnam airport on Wednesday evening.
Rajesh’s native village Chetlathandra in Srikakulam district is around three hours away from Visakhapatnam.
The four suffered fatal injuries in the encounter with armed terrorists of Pakistan-based banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad in the Desa forest area, where troops from the Rashtriya Rifles and Jammu and Kashmir Police had launched a cordon-and-search operation.
The attack on Monday night, which came a week after terrorists ambushed an Army patrol vehicle in Kathua district killing five soldiers and injuring as many, was the third major terror incident in the Jammu region in three weeks.
The mortal remains of Captain Thapa were brought by air to Bagdogra in northern West Bengal on Wednesday.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, former foreign secretary Harshvardhan Shringla and others paid their respects to the officer at Bengdubi Military Station near Siliguri.
According to Bista, the body of Thapa would be taken to his native place Lebong on Thursday morning for cremation.
The MP asserted that the blood of the martyrs, including Captain Thapa, would not be in vain.
A third-generation army officer, Captain Thapa was 27 years old and had joined the Indian Army five years back.
The slain officer’s mother Nilima said that he was from 145 Air Defence Regiment of the Army and was on deputation to 10 Rashtriya Rifles.
Sepoys Ajay Singh and Bijendra were cremated with full military and state honours at their home villages in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district on Wednesday.
Their bodies were brought in a special plane to Jaipur from where they were taken to Jhunjhunu’s Buhana tehsil by road and then to their native villages.
Ajay Singh hailed from Bhaisawata Kalan village, while Bijendra belonged to Dumoli Kalan village of Jhunjhunu.
A ‘Tiranga Yatra’ was taken out before the funerals, which saw hundreds of people turning up to bid the soldiers final goodbye.
Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham along with Khetri MLA Dharampal Gurjar reached Dumori Kalan to take part in the funeral of Soldier Bijendra.
Industries Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore went to Bhisawata village to offer condolences on behalf of the state government to the family of Soldier Ajay Singh.
In Bhaisawata, Rathore told reporters the enemies of the nation wanted to strike fear among the people and divide the country.
Earlier, Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully, Congress state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra and several army officers paid floral tributes to the martyrs at Jaipur airport.
