TALCHER: The mortal remains of Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Rana Pratap Das, who lost his life along with 13 others in the tragic chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native village in Angul district on Saturday.
The funeral procession began after his mortal remains reached Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar at noon. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other political leaders offered floral tributes to Das at the airport. The body was taken to Krushnachandrapur after guard of honour was paid by 120 Battalion.
“Rana Pratap amar rahe” resonated the nook and cranny of the village as his body was taken around in a procession where thousands of people participated and paid tributes.
Dignitaries including Deputy Speaker Rajanikanta Singh, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick, former BJP MP Rudra Narayan Pani, State Secretary Kalandi Samal and BJP State General Secretary Golak Mohapatra besides district officials paid floral tributes to the martyr at his native.
The funeral took place at the village crematorium after gun salute by the State police and Air Force contingent. His father Sribaschha Das, wife and sister broke down inconsolably while seeing the martyr off for the last time. “Rana was an obedient and respectful son. He was very sincere since his childhood days,” said Sribaschha.
His nephew Atish Das lit the funeral pyre. The 34-year-old JWO, who had last visited his family during Dussehra, was inducted into the IAF in 2006. He is survived by wife, one-year-old son and ailing parents. Locals have demanded the road between Talabeda and Krushnachandrapur be named after him.