Keonjhar: The mortal remains of CRPF jawan, who was killed during an encounter with Maoists in Jarkhand, reached his village in Anandpur area of Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Saturday.
Villagers paid rich tributes on arrival of the body of Sushant Kumar Khuntia, who laid down his life fighting the Maoists on Friday. His mortal remains will be consigned to flames at the village crematorium ground later in the day with full state honour, sources said.
A pall of gloom descended the entire area after the news of the death of Sushant spread. A large number of people gathered to pay their last respect as the body was taken in a flower bedecked vehicle through the village road.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and a host of other dignitaries have expressed deep grief over Sushant’s martyrdom.
Sushant was killed during an encounter with Maoists in the forest under Tonto police limits of West Singhbhum district in neighbouring Jharkhand on Friday. He was engaged with the CRPF since 2012.
According to sources, two jawans of CRPF’s 60th battalion were injured in the encounter with the Central Committee of the CPI-Maoist outfit and Misir Besra squad with a reward of Rs 1 crore. They were airlifted to Ranchi. Sushant, who was shot near the chest, was declared dead by the doctors at Medica. The other CRPF constable, Munna Lal, is out of danger.
Khuntia had reportedly got married four months ago and his wife is now working as an ANM worker in Telkoi area of Keonjhar. His elder brother, who was also posted with CRPF, was killed a few years ago, while another died of cancer. His father had passed away last year. His mother is undergoing treatment for some illness at a hospital in Bhubaneswar, the sources added.
