Tearful farewell to martyr Jawan Devashish Biswal, cremated with military and state honors

Sakhigopal: Odisha bid a tearful adieu to martyred jawan Debasish Biswal as his mortal remains were consigned to flames with full military and state honours at his native village Khandayat Sahi in Sakhigopal area of Puri district on Saturday.

The mortal remains of the martyr were consigned to flames at his village crematorium in presence of army personnel, family members, near and dear ones and thousands of people. His elder brother lit his funeral pyre in the afternoon.

The body of Lance Naik Debasish Biswal, who attained martyrdom in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday, arrived at Bhubaneswar airport this morning in a special Indian Air Force aircraft where he was given guard of honour by the Army. Governor Ganeshi Lal and several other dignitaries paid tributes to the departed soul.

The body was then taken to Sakhigopal by an army convoy and subsequently thousands of people participated in a huge procession to the slain soldier’s village.

Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the road to pay their last respect to the martyr raising slogans ‘Debashish Amar Rahe’. After the convoy reached Khandayat Sahi, the mortal remains were consigned to the flames at the village crematorium.

Locals said Debashish was the pride of Odisha and he will continue to remain in the hearts of the villagers as an immortal hero who laid down his life for the country.

Debashish was among five Indian Army soldiers killed after the vehicle in which they were travelling caught fire due to suspected terrorist attack in Poonch district on April 20. He is survived by his wife Sushree Sangeeta and seven-month-old daughter.

Sources said that terrorists had lobbed a grenade on the army vehicle by taking advantage of heavy rains and poor visibility in Poonch area on Thursday.