Dehradun: Major Chitresh Bisht was to come home later this month for his marriage. He did come but in a coffin wrapped in the national flag. The Bisht household in Nehru Colony echoed with wails as the Major’s mortal remains were brought home on Monday morning from the army hospital in the city where it was kept on Sunday.
A large crowd comprising Army men, policemen, politicians, relatives, friends and people in general thronged the young army officer’s home to pay their last respects as his coffin borne by Army men entered the gates. His distraught mother wept inconsolably near the coffin as his father SS Bisht, a retired police officer, tried to comfort her even as he fought back his own tears.
Father SS Bisht and mother Rekha Bisht of Maj Chitresh Singh Bisht, who was martyred Saturday in a mine explosion along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, mourn near his mortal remains which were brought to his home in Dehradun. PTI Photo
Just a day after Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF men were brutally killed, the 31-year-old Major Bisht was killed while defusing a mine along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. The family was preparing for the officer’s marriage on March 7 when it was shattered by the news on Saturday evening. Major Bisht was to come home on February 28 for his marriage.
A large number of politicians including Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, a host of BJP leaders and MLAs including Pradesh party president Ajay Bhatt, legislators Vinod Chamoli, Ganesh Joshi and Munna Singh Chauhan besides former CM and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat placed a wreath on the officer’s coffin to pay their homage.
People gather to pay their last respects to Maj Chitresh Singh Bisht, who was martyred in a mine explosion along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, as his mortal remains were brought in Dehradun. PTI Photo
People gather around as army personnel carry the mortal remains of Maj Chitresh Singh Bisht, who was martyred in a mine explosion along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, in Dehradun. PTI Photo
Uttarakhand DGP Anil Raturi and ADG Ashok Kumar were also among a host of senior police officials who turned up to pay their tribute to the Army man. Chants of ‘Major Bisht Amar Rahein’ rent the air as the coffin borne on the shoulders of Army men were lifted to proceed for Haridwar for the last rites with wailing relatives and friends following behind.