Martyrs’ families mourn heroes

JAGATSINGHPUR/NIALI: Nineteen-year-old Roni last spoke to her father Prasanna Kumar Sahoo on Monday night. A student of Plus-Three Commerce, she needed money for her studies and Prasanna wired `2,000 to his uncle’s bank account.

“Little did I know that it would be the last time I would speak to him. It is a great loss for me and my family but my father’s soul would rest in peace only if Government takes stern action against terrorists,” she added.

Havildar Prasanna, a native of Shikhar village under Jagatsinghpur’s Naugaon tehsil, was one of the 43 CRPF jawans killed in the terrorist attack at Pulwama on Thursday.

On Thursday night, the family received a phone call from Prasanna’s relative Khirod Biswal from Kashmir where he is working as nursing assistant with the Army. His death was confirmed by Naugaon police and ever since the family has been numbed by the tragedy.

Prasanna’s wife Minarani is inconsolable. “On Monday last, he spoke to me and asked about the marriage of Roni. Little did we know that this will be our last conversation,” she said before breaking down. Prasanna had completed his Class X at Karualpatana near Konark and Plus Two in Kakatpur College in Puri district. 

After that, he joined as Havildar in Central Reserve Police Force in 1992. The Sahoo family was very poor because they had no agricultural land to maintain their livelihood. Prasanna was the only bread-earner for the family.

He is survived by wife Minarani, daughter Roni and son Jagan. His son studies at Nimapada College. Prasanna’s father Kasinath had passed away in 2013 while mother Laita died a year later.
Prasanna’s colleague Sudhir Charan Biswal described him as a “go-getter” who always wore a smile. He had visited Shikhar in November to donate for establishment of a village temple and attend 16th birthday of his son. He had promised to return on New Year but non-availability of leave did not allow him the opportunity.

Biswal remembers Prasanna, the actor, who donned the role of hero in plays being staged in his village. “Now he has shown his heroism by sacrificing his life for the nation,”’ Biswal added.
While a pall of gloom descended on Shikhar, the locals remember the CRPF jawan as generous who would always come forward to help anyone who approached him. “On many occasions, he extended monetary help to poor and also to families who needed financial support for marriage of their sisters and daughters,” said a villager.

Jagatsinghpur SP Prakash R said Prasanna’s mortal remains would reach Bhubaneswar airport late on Friday. “Police are in touch with the martyr’s family to perform the last rites in his village with military honours,” he added.

About 90 km away in Cuttack’s Niali, the mood is similarly sombre. The ancestral place of CRPF constable Manoj Behera, Ratanpur, is mourning its hero.

Manoj, who attained martyrdom at Pulwama, returned to J&K a week back after spending a long vacation with his family. He had celebrated his one-year-old daughter’s birthday on January 16 and had left on February 6. He had spoken to his wife Itilata over phone on Thursday before starting his journey to Srinagar.

Itilata is yet to come to the terms with the tragedy that her husband is no more. She had married Manoj in January 2017. Manoj was inducted in the services in 2006.
“He told me he would be leaving for Srinagar and call again after reaching there. As the road was not clear, he said they would be late. He also told me to take care of our daughter. But little did I know that it would be his last call,” said an inconsolable Itilata.

His mother Sabitri said he was very happy when he left home after vacation. “He was very brave. His only aim in life was to fight for the country. I cannot believe he is no more,” she said while wiping away her tears.

While leaving home, Manoj had promised his parents that the next time he comes,  he will clear all the debts of his family.

His father Jatadhari said, “I am shocked. Yet I am proud of my son’s martyrdom.” “He was bold, brave and simple. Always smiling,” recalled his childhood friend Pranab.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to the family members of the two jawans over phone and expressed his deep condolences. Naveen, who described the Pulwama attack as a cowardly act, said, he stands by the family members of the martyrs. He also asked Finance Minister Sashi Bhushan Behera and Health Minister Pratap Jena to personally visit the families. The Odisha Government has announced ex gratia of `10 lakh each for kin of the martyrs.