Bodies of two jawans killed in Pulwama attack brought to Maharashtra

Mumbai: The mortal remains of two CRPF jawans from Maharashtra, who were martyred in the Pulwama terror attack, were brought to the city and sent to their native places in Buldhana district on Saturday.

The bodies of Nitin Shivaji Rathod (36) and Sanjay Singh Dixit (Rajput) (47) were brought to the Chikalthana airport around 12.25 pm.

While Rathod hailed from Chorpangra village in Lonar tehsil of Buldhana, Rajput belonged to Malkapur in the same district.

“Rathod’s body was sent to his village in a CRPF van, while Rajput’s mortal remains was taken to his native place in a chopper,” Inspector General of CRPF, Raj Kumar said.

Maharashtra minister Babanrao Lonikar, MP Chandrakant Khaire, legislators from different political parties, senior police and district officials as well as those of the CRPF paid tributes to the slain soldiers when the bodies arrived at the airport.

A large number of people also gathered to pay respects to the departed souls.

The two jawans were among the 40 paramilitary personnel killed in Thursday’s attack, one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir, when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a car laden with over 100 kg explosives into a CRPF bus which was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had Friday announced financial aid of Rs 50 lakh each to the families of the two jawans.