IAF Airman From Odisha Killed In Chopper Crash Cremated With Full State Honours

Angul: Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Rana Pratap Das, the Indian Air Force (IAF) airman from Odisha who was killed in the chopper crash in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, was cremated with full state honours at his native village in Angul district on Saturday evening.

JWO Das’s mortal remains were consigned to flames in the presence of family members, IAF personnel, political leaders and hundreds of people who had gathered to bid him farewell.

The cremation took place at a crematorium in his native Krushnachandrapur village.

A gun salute was given by armed forces personnel to the Tricolour-wrapped body of JWO Das. People chanted ‘Rana Pratap Amar Rahe’.

Political leaders cutting across party lines along with hundreds of people were present at the cremation.

Earlier, the mortal remains of JWO Das arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar in a special IAF flight around 12 noon on Saturday.

A guard of honour was given by personnel of the 120 Infantry Battalion. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, political leaders and DGP Abhay along with other officials paid floral tributes to JWO Das at the airport.

Born in 1987, JWO Das joined the IAF in 2006. He was posted to Coimbatore three months back. The 34-year-old got married in 2017 to Sibangi, a dentist by profession. They have a 19-month-old son.

Of the 14 defence personnel on board, 13 were killed in the Mi-17V5 crash on Wednesday morning. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder were cremated with full military honours at Delhi’s Brar Square Crematorium on Thursday.