CRPF jawan laid to rest at his hometown in J-K's Ramban

Jammu: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Punjab, was laid to rest with full honours at his home town in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.

The 34-year-old jawan Waseem Afzal, a resident of Kharwan village of Ramsu, was reported missing from Pathankot in Punjab on September 27 while he was returning home from his place of posting in Jharkhand, the officials said.

They said his body was recovered from an open field in Mirthal village of Punjab on Wednesday and police have started inquest proceedings to ascertain the cause of his death.

After completion of legal and medical formalities, the mortal remains of the jawan reached his home town in the early hours of Thursday where a wreath-laying ceremony was organised by the CRPF to pay homage to him before the burial, the officials said.

They said hundreds of villagers joined the last rites of the jawan which were performed with full honours.

Altaf Hussain, a cousin of the deceased jawan, said the family is in shock over the sudden death of Afzal.

"We appeal to the J-K administration and CRPF for an impartial probe into his mysterious death," he said.