Tripura bids tearful adieu to BSF man killed in Kashmir

The BSF offered full force honours on Tuesday during the last rites of its constable Sudip Kumar Sarkar, who was martyred following a terrorist attack in Machil sector in north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Sunday.

The Border Security Force’s Tripura frontier Inspector General Susanta Kumar Nath along with other senior officers received the body and paid their tributes to Sarkar after his mortal remains reached Agartala on Tuesday afternoon.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who announced Rs 5 lakh as relief and other support to the martyr’s family, along with other dignitaries paid their homage to the braveheart and offered their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.

A BSF official said that the last rites of the BSF constable were performed with full force honours at the Battala mass cremation ground on the outskirts of Agartala as thousands of people paid glowing tributes to the braveheart.

On Sunday night, three Army soldiers, BSF jawan Sarkar and three terrorists were killed in a major gunbattle near the LoC in Machil sector in Kupwara district after an infiltration bid was foiled by the Army. Two Army soldiers were also injured in the firefight.

“During the gunfight, Sarkar sustained bullet injuries but with utter disregard to his personal safety, he kept on fighting till his last breath with exemplary courage and ultimately made supreme sacrifice and attained martyrdom,” a BSF official said here.

Sarkar (38) hailed from Dhaleswar on the outskirts of the capital city and had joined the BSF 20 years ago. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, one sister, one brother and mother.