Ranchi/Gumla: Martyr Vijay Soreng was cremated in the presence of thousands of mourners and family members at his native Farsama Kumhari village under Basia block of Gumla district on Saturday evening. Soreng’s first wife Karmela Soreng accompanied the body, which was brought to the village in a CRPF chopper.A large number of villagers waited for the arrival of the martyr’s mortar remains since morning without food or water. As the chopper carrying the body landed at the helipad amid a heavy downpour, people shouted slogans praising the soldier who laid his life in the line of duty.Soreng eldest son Arun Soreng performed the last rites while his youngest son Rahul Soreng (10) vowed to become a soldier and avenge his father killing. His daughters Rekha (17) and Barkha (12) were inconsolable during the last rites rites. Soreng’s second wife Vimla was also present and expressed her need to be employed to support her family.Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat, former state minister Geetashree Oraon, ADG Rezi Dungdung, CRPF IG Sanjay Latekar, JVM-P leader Bandhu Tirky, former IPS officers Shital Oraon and Hemant Toppo, former Gumla MLA Bhusan Tirkey and commandant of CRPF’s 218 battalion H Ranjit Singh were among those who attended the funeral.Earlier in the day, thousands of people waving the Tricolour and shouting ‘Vijay Soreng Zinadabad’, ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ and ‘Pakistan murdabad’ gathered at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda airport to pay tribute to the martyr. Members of an Rashtra Shaki stood in front of the airport holding a 100-feet-long and 60-feet-wide Tricolour.Many in the crowd, that included women and children, broke down and others were close to tears as the coffin of 44-year-old Soreng arrived in Ranchi at around 3.15pm. Draped in Tricolour, the coffin was kept on a platform outside the airport for people to pay their last respects,Governor Droupadi Murmu and chief minister Raghuabar Das led the state in paying homage to Soreng. Murmu, Das, Union minister Jayant Sinha and senior government officials laid wreaths on the mortal remains of the soldier.Das, who carried the mortal remains of Soreng to the truck on his shoulder for his onward journey, said: “We are proud of the supreme sacrifice made by Soreng and other jawans. India, including Jharkhand, is safe only due to the security forces. The terrorist’s act of cowardice will not demoralize us”.He added that India has defeated Pakistan thrice in the past and will do so again. “The people and the state government are with Soreng’s family. The government will help them in every way, including providing education and jobs to them,” Das said. Das and other public representatives consoled Soreng’s first wife, who was at the airport to receive the body.Former Union minster Subodh Kant Sahay said the war against terror can be won only with the help of local people and police action is a short-term measure. “It is a big attack and we should not tolerate it. There is unity across the country to handle the challenge in front of the nation,” he said.

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