ITANAGAR, May 29 - The last rites of the martyred soldier of 35 Rashtriya Rifles, Havildar Hangpan Dada, who lost his life in a gun battle with terrorists at the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir on May 26, were performed today at his native village, Borduria in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh with full military honours in presence of thousands of mourners.
His mortal remains were brought from Srinagar to Khonsa by a special IAF helicopter yesterday afternoon before being escorted to Borduria. Gun salute by the personnel of 16 Assam Rifles and prayers were offered by the Catholic priest, relatives and mourners from all over the country.
Earlier, Chief Minister Kalikho Pul along with Education Minister Wanglin Lowangdong and MLAs Kaling Moyong & Tirong Aboh, civil and Army officials laid wreaths on the body of the martyr at Borduria mini stadium.
Wreaths were also placed on behalf of GOC, 3 Corps and GOC, 2 Mountain Division as a mark of respect to the departed soldier who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting against Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Former Arunachal Home Minister James Lowangcha Wanglat also attended the wreath laying ceremony.
While paying his tributes, the Chief Minister said that no amount of consoling words could compensate the loss and could fill the void, and prayed to the Almighty for the peace of the departed soul and to give strength to the bereaved family members to bear the irreparable loss.
Assuring all possible help from the State Government to the bereaved family, Pul handed over a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the wife of the martyr as ex-gratia and also promised to bear expenditure of education for the martyr�s son and daughter till graduation level, besides assuring promotion to the soldier�s wife, who is serving in Health & Family Welfare department.
He further urged the local administration to construct a befitting memorial in memory of the martyr.
