Sehore: As the Sun was bidding adieu to the day on Sunday, one and a half years old son of Naik Jitendra Kumar, Chaitanya, lit the funeral pyre of his braveheart father in Dhamanda village in Sehore. He was sitting in his uncle's lap. His eyes had no tears. It is not the right age to cry. Yet there was something in his gaze - the determination of his father.
Naik Kumar, PSO of CDS General Bipin Rawat lost his life along with 13 people including Rawat in a helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu on December 8. The relatives of Jitendra and residents of Dhamanda village in Sehore were in tears. Kumar's mortal remains reached his native village Dhamanda about 65 km from Bhopal. Several people stood on roadsides at various places as the vehicle carrying Kumar's mortal remains travelled from Bhopal to Sehore. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who attended the funeral ceremony of MP's braveheart Jitendra Kumar on Saturday announced that the family members of the martyr would be given Rs 1 crore. Paying a floral tribute to the martyr, Chouhan condoled with the family members and said the state is very proud of this great soldier who was a sniper par excellence.
Chouhan paid a tribute to all those including the first CDS Rawat who lost their lives in the helicopter crash. Chouhan also announced that the martyr's wife would be given a government job. The government school in Dhamanda will be named after Jitendra Kumar Verma. A statue of Jitendra will also be installed in the village, which will be the centre of patriotism, he said. Earlier, an emotional Chouhan spoke to Jitendra's father Shivraj Verma, mother Dhapu Bai and wife Sunita Verma. He also took Chaitanya into his lap. A school owner, Deepak Jaiswal, has announced free education for the soldier's daughter till Class 12.
