KORAPUT: A Martyr memorial was named after two BSF men who had laid down their lives while fighting the Maoists in the district. Koraput BSF Sector Headquarters DIG AK Sharma unveiled the memorial pillar at Ramgiri under Boipariguda police limits on Wednesday. The Ramgiri memorial named - Veer Siba Sunil Chowk - was dedicated to mark the sacrifice of BSF Deputy Commandant Sunil Kumar Behera and Constable (G) Sibasish Panda, said the DIG.
The decision to honour the two men was taken jointly by BSF and district administration after which senior officials inaugurated a plaque and a memorial bearing their names and their gallant acts. The two BSF men were patrolling on a two-wheeler when Maoists triggered an IED blast near Dandabari village in Koraput that hit them. While Panda, died on the spot, Behera succumbed to his injuries later.
The incident had occurred when a team of about 20 BSF personnel were returning from a search operation in Dandabari village on 10 motorcycles and the first carrying the team commander and the jawan got trapped in the blast carried out by using a hidden bomb on a dirt track of Kaliajhula forests. Among others, 143 BSF Offg Commandant AK Pandey and family members of the martyrs were present.