Kolkata, Jun 19 (IANS): After a guard of honour at the Indian Air Force's Hasimara airbase, the casket carrying the body of Havildar Bipul Roy, who died in the India-China border clash, started for his Bindipara village in Alipurduar district by road in an army vehicle on Friday evening.

The martyr was given a gun salute at the IAF airbase and then sent to his village home wrapped in the tricolour and garlands.

Meanwhile, thousands of villagers gathered in the tiny north Bengal village to catch a glimpse of the deceased braveheart on his last journey back home and pay respect to the martyr. The district administration also made all necessary arrangements in the area to manage the swelling crowd.

According to local sources, the body will reach Bindipara village this evening and the final rites would be performed by the family members after that. The casket carrying the body of Bipul Roy reached Hasimara airbase by a special IAF flight.

Earlier this morning, another slain jawan Rajesh Orang's body reached Birbhum's Belgoria village under Mohammad Bazar police station area. The body of Rajesh Orang arrived at Panagarh IAF airbase in Burdwan district on Thursday evening.

The two soldiers were among the 20 Indian Army jawans killed in border clashes with Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops at Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh.