Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and several other dignitaries paid their floral tributes to the deceased IAF officer from Angul district Rana Pratap Das, who was killed in the tragic helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu that also killed CDS Bipin Rawat December 8, at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
Huge gathering outside the airport sung ‘veer jawan amar rahe’ after the mortal remains of Das reached at around noon.
Later, Jawans of 120 Battalion paid Guard of Honour to the departed soul. The Chief Minister gave floral offerings to the mortal remains of Das and paid his last respects. Political leaders including Niranjan Pujari, Ashok Kumar Panda, some top bureaucrats, Odisha Police DG Abhay and the Twin City Police Commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi also bid adieu to the IAF officer.
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Patnaik lauded the dedicated service and sense of patriotism of Das and extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
Later, an ambulance carrying the mortal remains of Das proceeded to his native place Krushnachandrapur under Kundala panchayat of Talcher area in Angul district where he will be cremated with full military honours today.
The 35-year-old younger son of his parents was a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force. He was one among the two children of Sribasta Das and Sushama Das of Angul. He is survived by his wife Shibangi, who is a dentist in the IAF, including one-year-old son.
PNN