The last rites of 31‑year‑old Army Naik Jitu Behera from Anandapalli village in Nayagarh district were performed with full state honours on Wednesday evening.
Behera, who was serving in the Tangdhar area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, collapsed on duty on January 26 following a suspected cardiac arrest. He was rushed to a local health centre but could not survive.
His mortal remains were brought back to his native village, where a large crowd gathered to pay tribute. A procession was taken out, and police personnel from Itamati and Nayagarh district joined in paying their respects.
The sudden demise has left the village in shock. Behera had married only a few months ago, and his wife is struggling to cope with the loss. Locals remembered him as a dedicated soldier and expressed grief over the tragedy.
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