Ranchi: Sepoy of 4 Assam Rifles, Jai Prakash Oraon (32) of Ranchi district went down fighting insurgency in Manipur near the Indo-Myanmar border on Wednesday afternoon, keeping his promise to the nation but breaking the one made to his daughter of coming home on her birthday.
Killing four militants in an encounter, rifleman Oraon, who hails from Nawadih village in Chanho block, 40km from the state capital, fell to terrorist bullets at Sajik-Tampak in Manipur's Chandel district, over 1,500km from home.
"He took two bullets on his chest but not before killing four terrorists near the Indo-Myanmar border. He was a part of his company's search operation in the area when the encounter took place," Chanho OC Rupesh Kumar Singh told this paper quoting a warrant officer of Assam Rifles Devendra Pal.
Draped in Tricolour, the martyr's body was flown to Ranchi on Thursday evening from where it was sent to his village on road with due honours.
Governor Droupadi Murmu, state minister Neelkanth Singh Munda, JVM chief Babulal Marandi and his party colleague Bandhu Tirkey, Mandar MLA Gangotri Kujur, home secretary S.K.G. Rahate, Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar, among others went to Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport to receive the slain hero whose village is only 2km away from legendary tribal freedom fighter Budhu Bhagat's village in Shilagain.
Nawadih village, which came to know about its brave son's glorious death on Wednesday night, is tearful but proud.
Villager Somnath Oraon said the martyr, who joined the army as a 20 year-old, had left behind two daughters Shruti, 4, and Smriti, 2, widow Sangeeta, 28, aged parents Sukra and Lakshmi Oraon, and brothers Vishwanath, Basant and Ranjeet.
"We are all shocked as we loved him but proud that he died like a true soldier," Somnath said.
The family's neighbour Sameer Bhagat said Oraon had promised to be at home for his daughter Smriti's birthday on December 6. "I heard he called his wife Sangeeta on Tuesday saying he would come home to celebrate his youngest daughter's birthday in a grand way."
Sameer added that Oraon's sacrifice reminded them of tribal icon Budhu Bhagat who in 1831 went down fighting against British colonisers. "Oraon has maintained the tribal tradition of sacrifice for the country," he said.
Though the martyr's family members could not be contacted, they were shocked but proud that he died for the nation, neighbours like Sameer and Meneshwar Oraon said.
Chief minister Raghubar Das announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the martyr's family.
