by Richie Lasrado
Pics: Viju Mangalore, Praveen Tauro Kulshekar and Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld News Network
Mangalore, Aug 5: When the Indian Airlines flight from Mumbai landed at Bajpe airport at 4 pm on Saturday, August 5, there was already a huge crowd to receive the mortal remains of Udayakumar, the CRPF constable who fell victim to the suspected Naxalite landmine blast in Chhattisgarh three days ago.
The CISF contingent looking after the security at the airport and the 11-member protocol delegation deputed by the CRPF group centre, Yelahanka in Bangalore, led by SI Shashidharan, escorted the mortal remains out of the plane. A gun salute was accorded in the airport.
Around 4-30 pm, the motorcade, with the CPRF truck HR 68 -1069 carrying the body of Udayakumar, arrived at the entrance of the lane opposite the ITI on Yeyyadi road, leading to his house. Mayor Ashraf, Suratkal MLA Krishna Palemar, former minister Ramanath Rai, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, additional SP Lokesh Kumar and dySP Harishchandra, Tulu Sahitya Academy president Seetaram Kulal and others got into the truck, laid wreaths and paid respects.
The remains were taken to the late Udayakumar's residence located nearby. Amidst shouting of loud slogans like 'Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Vande Mataram', 'Udayakumar Amar Rahe' by a large number of his friends and well-wishers, over a thousand people joined the procession. At home, there were heart-rending scenes with wails of his wife, children, brothers, sisters and other family-members echoing all over.
Around 5-30 pm, the coffin was brought to the Government Junior Technical School ground, where it was placed for public homage. ASP Lokesh Kumar personally supervised the orderly movement of the crowds and law and order. A large posse of policemen from regular and traffic sections had been pressed into service to handle the crowds and traffic.
Around 6 pm, the funeral procession moved up to Yeyyadi and turned around towards Kadri Hill and later to the Kadri crematorium for the final rites.
A large number of people who had not known Udayakumar had turned up to pay respects to the martyr. Speaking to daijiworld, many said it was their duty to pay respects to someone who had laid his life while serving the nation, although they did not know him in person.
The residents of Kallotte near his residence had put up a banner mourning his death. There were black flags on several vehicles and different corners in the area.
The city gave him a fitting farewell which a hero like him deserved. However, there was a sour note in the form of disappointment expressed by some people - in fact with kind of subdued anger - that many elected representatives like MLA Yogish Bhat, minister Nagaraj Shetty, MPs D V Sadananda Gowda and Manorama Madhwaraj, did not turn up to bid adieu to the martyr at his final journey.
Deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao is away on deputation in the North and he was represented by other revenue officials.
The martyr's mortal remains were consigned to flames in the crematorium near the Kadri Temple after a final gun salute from CRPF, in the presence of a large number of tearful mourners.
Earlier Report: