SILCHAR, Sept 11 � Timothy Sinha, a junior commissioned officer of Indian Navy, who died in the ill-fated submarine INS Sindhurakshak on August 14 at the age of 29, was laid to rest with full State honours at his native village in Pailapul under Lakhipur subdivision here on Wednesday.
Thousands of people turned up on both sides of the road to bid tearful adieu to Timothy as his colleagues Lt Commander Sanjeev Veer and MCO Mridul Boruah along with Army officers brought his mortal remains to his residence from the airport here. Top brass of the BJP Cachar district committee, including local MP Kabindra Purakayastha, Lakhipur SDO Nabarun Bhattacharjee, members of the Presbyterian Church, government officials, officers from 177 Field Regiment, Artillery Brigade attended the sailor�s funeral ceremony.
The cortege, draped in tricolour was kept at the lawn for the people to pay tribute to Timothy. Mitra Sinha Chakraborty, Timothy�s mother, said they were determined to bring some part of his body home. Sharing her grief, Mitra said Timothy came home on holiday for a week last year. During his stay, he had consoled her that she must not weep as he died on board INS Sindhurakshak committing his life for the nation and to Jesus.
�I have lost my only son, but I am happy, I am Timothy�s mother who has laid his life for the nation. Jesus has embraced him unto eternal peace,� she said. Mitra was quick to add that her son grew in extreme difficult conditions and said, �I am such a mother who could not even provide a sweater to my son who has brought home so much honour by laying his life for the country.�
Retired Pastor and Timothy�s father, Bidya Ratan Sinha said it is still a mystery how the submarine caught fire. But he said, �these days, our country needs more martyrs and I am proud of him. I was preparing for his marriage; he asked his mother to stop me and said he would bring infrastructure for construction. He asked not to bewail if he dies. He is a pioneer as such an incident has happened for the first time in the Indian naval history,� Sinha said.
ZD Lalhmchuana, administrative secretary of Presbyterian Church, Barak Valley spoke about Timothy�s life and works. Lt Commander Sanjeev Veer expressed his deepest condolence to the bereaved family. Brigadier SG Chavan, Lt Col BK Sinha, Captain Ravindra Singh Kundal and Suvedar Venkateshwarulu of the Artillery Brigade, Vaibhabh Nimbalkar, Additional SP, Cachar and other officials paid tributes to the sailor. Following prayers and the gun salute, Timothy was laid to rest in the nearby graveyard.
Earlier, PHE Minister Gautam Roy received the cortege of the sailor which came from Kolkata at 2:40 pm. Deputy Commissioner GM Hazarika, Cachar SP Diganta Bora, officials of the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, BSF and CISF paid tributes at the airport.