THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Balaramapuram on Sunday bid a tearful adieu to Laju N S, the CRPF constable killed in an encounter with Maoists in Chattisgarh last week. Laju’s body was laid to rest at his home in Ithiyoor on Sunday morning with full state honours. Hundreds of people visited the St Joseph’s LP School and the Government Higher Secondary School where his mortal remains were kept for the public to pay homage.
The body was flown in from Raipur on Sunday night. Health Minister V S Sivakumar and District Collector Biju Prabhakar were present at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to represent the state government. A Srinivas, DIGP, CRPF, Pallipuram, and his team of officers received the mortal remains that was later handed over to his mother Sulochana.
Laju was attached to the 208th unit of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), formed to counter the Naxal problem. Laju and two others were killed and 15 of their colleagues injured in the encounter in Sukma district.
Srinivas also handed over Rs 50,000 from the CRPF Welfare Fund to Laju’s family as an immediate financial assistance, CRPF officials said.