Nawada martyr Chandan's mortal remains to arrive in Patna today

NAWADA: A pall of gloom settled over Naromurar village in Warisaliganj police station area of Nawada district soon after the news of the death of Indian Army jawan Chandan Kumar (26) in a terrorist ambush in J&K's Poonch district reached his native place just after Thursday midnight. At least four soldiers, including Chandan, lost their lives and three others were wounded in the terrorist ambush on two military vehicles around 3.45pm on Thursday, while en route to reinforce a joint operation against terrorists in the Dhera Ki Gali area. Chandan had joined the Army in 2017. "The news of his martyrdom was conveyed to us over the phone," said Jeevan Kumar, Chandan's elder brother, while his elderly parents were in no position to speak, and so was his wife of just 18 months, Shilpi Kumari. Chandan had returned to his unit, 89 Armed Regiment of the Rahtriya Rifles - a counter insurgency force - just a month ago after a leave. Now Chandan's mortal remains would be flown to Patna by Saturday evening after completing the requisite paper work and related formalities, Subedar Major Rajesh Kumar of the 89 Armed Unit told this correspondent over phone amid the ongoing operation against the terrorists on Friday. The body would be handed over to the family after a guard of honour to the martyr at Danapur Cantonement.Abhinav Kumar, the mukhia of Kutri panchayat, under which Naromurar village falls, said that around two dozen vehicles would escort Chandan's coffin from Patna to Naromurar village. Nawada district magistrate (DM) Ashutosh Kumar Verma, who was on way to Patna to receive the body, said that DDC Deepak Kumar Mishra would join him in escorting the coffin from Kharat Mor (on Nawada-Nalanda border) to Naromurar village. Second son of Jayanti Devi and Mauleshar Singh, Chandan was the sole earning member of the family of sharecroppers, who ranks among the poorest of the poor of the village.It owns merely 14 katthas (even less than a bigha) of agricultural land, apart from a kutcha house with a tin roof and a couple of cows, their only movable asset. Abhinav said that his predecessor had ignored Mauleshar’s request for a pucca house under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. He has now assured the family that they would get a house under Indira Awas Yojna soon. “I have talked to the DM and DDC for every possible aid to the bereaved family.” A villager, Malti Devi, whose son is also in the Army, said the family had barely seen happy days after Chandan got a job, but his untimely death snatched it all. “Abhi parivar ka sukh ka ghari aaya hi tha ki Chandan duniya se chala gaya.” Another villager Dhananjay Kumar said that the village would honour the supreme sacrifice of the soldier and strive to erect a befitting monument or memorial as a tribute to him. “It will be a big inspiration for our next generation of youths.”