Martyred Odia Jawan Debashish Biswal cremated with full state honours

Sakhigopal: Odia Jawan Debashish Biswal martyred in a terrorist attack in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday was cremated with full state honours at his native in Sakhigopal in Puri district today.

The mortal remains of the martyr were consigned to flames at his village crematorium in presence of army personnel and thousands of people. His elder brother lit his funeral pyre in the afternoon.

Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal offered floral tribute to the deceased Jawan at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar in the morning. The martyr’s wife paid him tribute at the airport. The mortal remains were given the guard of honour at the airport before being taken to his village Khandayat Sahi under Alaguma Gram Panchayat near Sakhigopal in Puri district.

His body was brought to his native in a grand procession. A sea of crowd gathered at the village to pay last respect to the departed soul. Entire village was reverberated with the slogan ‘Amar Rahe Debashish’.

Debashish Biswal among five Indian Army soldiers was killed after the vehicle in which he was travelling caught fire due to suspected terrorist attack in Poonch district on April 20. He is survived by his wife Sushree Sangeeta and seven-month-old daughter.

Sources said that terrorists had lobbed a grenade on the army vehicle by taking advantage of heavy rains and poor visibility in Poonch area around 3 pm on Thursday.

“Five personnel of Rashtriya Rifles Unit deployed in the counter terrorist operations lost their lives in the incident,” Indian Army sources said.

Another Jawan also sustained critical injuries in the incident and he was rushed to an Army Hospital for treatment.

Debashis, the son Pratap Biswal and Mamata Biswal, had married Sushree Sangeeta in 2021.

Yesterday, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved family of the martyred Jawan.