Rangoli on roads, people on treetops, Buldhana weeps

Buldhana: Chants of ‘Amar rahe ... amar rahe ... shaheed jawan amar rahe’ rent the air as the two soldiers from Maharashtra, who died in the convoy attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Pulwama on Thursday, were cremated with full state honours.
The atmosphere was charged with emotions at Malkapur and Lonar where people gathered in large numbers to bid adieu to Sanjay Rajput (45) and Nitin Rathore (37) on Saturday evening. They were among the 40 jawans killed on February 14.

The bodies of Rajput and Rathore were brought to Aurangabad from Delhi by plan. MP Chandrakant Khaire, MLAs Imtiaz Jaleel, Sanjay Shirsath and Atul Save along with divisional commissioner Sunil Kendrekar and Army and Indian Air Force personnel paid their last respects to the jawans by laying wreaths on the coffins.

Thousands of people bid a teary farewell to Rajput whose mortal remains were consigned to flames near Janata Arts and Commerce College, Malkapur. People drew rangolis and laid flowers to decorate the road from which the martyr’s funeral procession passed through.

People made a beeline to pay their respects to Rajput as his body, wrapped in a tricolour, was brought to Malkapur in an helicopter from Aurangabad. His son Jay lit the funeral pyre as his younger brother Shubham stood transfixed.

Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir, Maharashtra minister of state for home Ranjeet Patil, MP Raksha Khadse, leaders of various political parties and government officials were present. Ahir also handed over to Rajput’s family a cheque for Rs50 lakh as announced by the government.

Entire Chorpangra village in Lonar tehsil was in grief as the news of Rathore’s death in the attack reached the village. CRPF personnel brought his body to the village from Aurangabad by road. Wife, children and father of Rathore cried inconsolably. Unable to withstand the shock, Nitin’s wife had to be taken to Rural Hospital at Bibi where her condition was constantly monitored by the doctors.

The entire village flocked to have a last glimpse of the brave soldier. While youngsters perched atop trees and water tanks, others stood in silence when Rathore was cremated.

When top CRPF official SD Bhosle and IPS officer Rajkumar called on Rathore’s wife, she urged them to take revenge of his killing. Residents of the village also raised anti-Pakistan slogans, demanding stern action against perpetrators of the attack.

Leader of the opposition in state legislative assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, MP Pratap Jadhav, MLAs Sanjay Raymulkar and Shashikant Khedekar and former legislator Rajendra Shingne were present.