Nadia: Since Friday, a crowd had been gathering in front of the house of Jhantu Ali Sheikh, who was martyred in an encounter between security forces and terrorists following a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. On Saturday morning, the family members broke down in tears as soon as the tricolour-wrapped body of the martyred soldier reached his house in Patharghata village under Tehatta of the Nadia district in West Bengal. The entire village was mourning for the loss of their favourite boy.
A makeshift stage was set up in front of the house for the people to pay homage to the slain jawan. Locals came from as far as five kilometres away to bid a tearful adieu.
Krishnanagar MP Mahua Maitra, accompanied by the MLAs of Tehatta, Chapra, Nakashipara and other political leaders, attended the last rites of Shekih on Saturday. "Our district's son, soldier Jhantu Ali Sheikh, was martyred while fighting with militants. His body was brought in today. He has a wife and two children. Everyone is trying to do religious politics around the Pahalgaon massacre. However, Sheikh laid down his life for the country. Let us remember this. Religious division ruins the country. A militant can kill three to four people. But this poison will kill us all," Moitra said.
Following the Pahalgam attack, security forces launched an intensive search operation to flush out the militants. On April 24, a search operation was conducted in Udhampur following a lead. In the ensuing exchange of fire, Sheikh of the 6th Para Forces was martyred. His body was flown to Kolkata late on Friday night, where state minister Firhad Hakim paid tribute. Then, the body was taken to the morgue, from where it was taken to Nadia on Saturday.
"I still can't believe that my husband will never return. He loved our six-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son a lot. At home, he spent more time with other children as well. I received his last message on Thursday morning when he said he would be busy with work and would talk the next day. I was busy with the household chores when I received the news of his injury and was told that his physical condition was stable," Sahana Ali,the wife of Shekih said.
"I thought he would recover soon. Later, I was given the real news. He has always performed his duties with utmost devotion. For him, the country came first. Then family and friends. He never told me anything about the operation. Rafiq, his elder brother, also in the army," she added.
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