BHUBANESWAR: The mortal remains of Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Rana Pratap Das, who lost his life along with 13 others in the tragic IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native village in Angul district on Saturday.
IAF gunner Rana Pratap was with CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others in the Mi-17V5 helicopter that reportedly crashed near Coonoor due to inclement weather conditions on December 8.
The funeral procession began after his mortal remains arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, at about 12 noon. Thousands of people participated in the procession and paid tribute to the Odia jawan.
People who had gathered along the road to his native village raised slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Rana Pratap amar rahe' (long live, Rana Pratap) in his praise while dignitaries including Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick and district officials paid floral tributes as a mark of respect.
The funeral took place at a special graveyard in the crematorium earmarked for the purpose at his native Krushnachandrapur village. The JWO was accorded a gun salute as per laid down protocols after his family members, including father and wife, paid their last respects. His nephew Atish Das lit the funeral pyre.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other political leaders paid floral tributes to the immortal soul at the airport. The body was taken to Krushnachandrapur after the personnel of 120 Battalion paid a guard of honour.
The 34-year-old JWO, who had last visited his family during Dussehra, was inducted in the IAF in 2006. He is survived by wife, one-year-old son and ailing parents. Locals have demanded that the road between Talabeda and Krushnachandrapur be named after him.