Pulwama attack: With slogans, Patna bids farewell to its braveheart

The funeral procession had started from Masaurhi, about 50 km away. As it passed through the town, with Sinha’s coffin covered under a Tricolour canopy, all shops in the market remained shut.

People attend the funeral procession of CRPF Head Constable Sanjay Kumar Sinha at Masauri in Patna

Sonu Kumar bowed his shaven head before the funeral pyre of his father, Head Constable Sanjay Kumar Sinha, who was killed in the Pulwama attack on Thursday. The 17-year-old, who lives in Kota to prepare for medical entrance tests, broke into sobs as his grandfather Mahendra Singh embraced him, with thousands around them shouting slogans at Sammaspur Ghat in Fatuha town.

The funeral procession had started from Masaurhi, about 50 km away. As it passed through the town, with Sinha’s coffin covered under a Tricolour canopy, all shops in the market remained shut.

Among those who had come to pay their respects were Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Ram Kripal Yadav, Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, state Road Construction Minister Nand Kishor Yadav, state Education Minister Krishnanandan Verma, and Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader R K Sinha. Bihar Congress working president Kaukab Quadri was also present.

Patna: A large number of people attend the funeral procession of CRPF jawan Sanjay Singh, who lost his life in Thursday’s Pulwama terror attack, at Masaurhi, in Patna, Saturday, (PTI Photo)

Patna Saheb MP Shatrughan Sinha did not visit either Masaurhi or Fatuha. His absence was discussed by several youths at Fatuha Ghat. People also wondered why no RJD leader was present.

Earlier, at Patna airport, CM Nitish Kumar paid tributes to Sinha and constable Ratan Kumar Thakur, the other CRPF man from the state killed in Thursday’s attack. “It is up to Centre to decide how and what it will do but action has to be taken…”