Bengal bids tearful adieu to brave jawans

Hailing the sacrifice of Sepoy Gangadhar Dalai and Sepoy Biswajit Ghorai, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while leaving Nabanna on Tuesday evening, said that the state government would give Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the martyrs and job as a home guard to a member from each of their families.

The mortal remains of Dalai and Ghorai were taken to their houses at Jamunabalia near Jagatballavpur in Howrah and Ganga Sagar village in South 24-Parganas respectively on Tuesday morning.

Jawans of Indian Army found around 6,000 people gathered to pay their respects to the martyrs at each of the places. Gharai’s mortal remains were taken to Ganga Sagar village in a special helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at around 9.45 a.m.

People in the area broke into tears when the jawans reached the respective villages with mortal remains of the brave soldiers. They gathered with garlands and wreaths to pay their homage to Dalai and Ghorai.

Fort William based twelfth battalion of Garhwal Rifle performed at a ceremonial funeral parade at Ganga Sagar and seventh Bihar regiment gave a fitting send-off to Dalai at Jagatballavpur in Howrah.

Chief Minister said on Monday that ministers from the state would be present at the homes of the martyrs during their last rites. Rajib Banerjee, the state Irrigation minister, and Sukesh Jain the Superintendent of Police, Howrah, paid their homage to Dalai. Sovan Chatterjee, Mayor, and the state Housing minister, was present in Ganga Sagar where he paid homage to Ghorai.

In both the places, local youth were found shouting slogans “Dalai amar rahe” or “Ghorai amar rahe”. They also remembered martyrs from other states who also laid their lives in the attack carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed on the Rear Administrative Base Camp of Infantry Battalion in Uri. Pranab Chakraborty, a local youth, said, “The sacrifice of the soldiers of Indian Army will be honoured. We hope that some steps will be taken to bring an end to the present situation in Kashmir.”