JAJPUR: BESIDES Charan Maharana, another Odia, Purna Chandra Senapati, was also aboard the ill-fated IAF’s AN 32 that went missing on Friday over the Bay of Bengal. Senapati (27) hails from Rangaranga village near Painikoili in Jajpur district. “My son talked to me over phone at 7 pm on Thursday. He told me from Bangalore that he would proceed to Port Blair and would call me next morning. But we only received the shocking news on Friday about the missing aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying my son from Tambaram to Port Blair,” said Ujali Senapati, mother of Purna Chandra.
“Though I feel proud, I am saddened by the news,” said Suryamani Senapati, father of Purna. Purna completed his schooling from Prahallad High School at Rangaranga and his degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT School of Engineering in Cuttack. He joined the defence service one and a half years ago, family sources said.