DGP Rajeev Kumar pays tribute to CRPF martyr Gauri Shankar Singh at Mahuda in Bokaro on Wednesday. The jawan died in a rebel encounter in Chhattisgarh on Monday. (Pankaj Singh)

Bokaro, Dec. 3: Newly-wed CRPF jawan Gauri Shankar Singh was supposed to come home to Bokaro’s Mahuda village on a sanctioned leave tomorrow. His body reached a day earlier than scheduled.

The body of the 23-year-old CRPF jawan, among the 13 security personnel killed in the Chhattisgarh Maoist ambush of Monday, was brought home today to his inconsolable 20-year-old widow Lalita, mother, brothers and extended family.

Rebels had ambushed the troops in dense forests of Sukma district in the neighbouring state, using villagers as human shields to prevent immediate retaliation.

Gauri Shankar’s body was flown from Raipur to Ranchi by plane and from the state capital to Bokaro city by a chopper. A CRPF vehicle brought him to his final resting place in Mahuda, 18km from the city, in Pindrajora thana area that falls under Chandankyari Assembly seat.

Jharkhand state DGP Rajeev Kumar, CRPF IG R.K. Mishra and CRPF DIG B.K. Toppo, commandant of 26th battalion of CRPF Sanjay Singh, North Chotanagpur IG Tadasha Mishra, coal belt DIG D.B. Sharma, Bokaro SP Jitendra Singh and others reached Mahuda around 12.45pm to pay their tributes to Gauri Shankar.

Around 2pm today, amid the backdrop of a sombre tune, CRPF jawans of the 26th battalion reversed their arms as a mark of respect to the martyr. Assembled VIPs and others saluted and paid him floral tributes.

Lalita, Gauri Shankar’s wife for only eight months, sobbed and fainted several times during the ceremony. The jawan’s mother, Savitri Devi, brother Manoj Singh and uncle R.K. Singh stood frozen with grief. As hundreds of villagers crowded the area, there were hardly any dry eyes left.

Crying loudly, Lalita said her husband had promised to come home on leave on December 4. DGP Kumar met her and other members of the family, promising all help.

“What this son of Mahuda village has done will inspire every jawan to launch offensives against rebels with greater determination,” the DGP said, condemning the ambush with human shields as “heinous”.

R.K. Singh, Gauri Shankar’s uncle — a father figure to the youth after his father passed away when he was in school — said he was proud that “his boy” died for the country. “It is an honour to die serving the nation. My son has not died. He is in deep slumber but will stay a shining example for youths to fight anti-national elements,” he said.

Bokaro MLA Samresh Singh also met the DGP and asked him to do something for the family, especially the young widow, though Mahuda falls under Chandankyari Assembly seat held by Ajsu’s Uma Kant Rajak.

The cremation, a family affair, was held in the village after 6pm.