Keonjhar: The mortal remains of martyred Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Sushant Khuntia were consigned to flames at his birthplace in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Saturday with full state honour.
The body of Sushant reached Anandapur this morning and then taken to the cremation ground in a procession followed by a a large number of mourners. The town reverberated with chants of ‘Veer jawan Sushant amar rahe’ as the procession moved.
The cremation was attended by a number of distinguished personalities from the area. He was accorded a full state honour before his body was consigned to the flames.
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.
Sushant 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.
