Insight Bureau: Odia Jawan and IAF Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Rana Pratap Das who died in the military chopper (IAF Mi-17 V5) crash in Tamil Nadu on December 8, was cremated with full military honours at his village Krushnachandrapur in Talcher area in Anugul district.
Thousands of people gathered to bid adieu to Rana Pratap by chanting slogans and hailing the hero when the mortal remains reached Talcher. Later it was taken to his ancestral village in a special ambulance with police escort.
Earlier, a special Indian Air Force aircraft carried the mortal remains of Rana Pratap to Bhubaneswar. CM Naveen Patnaik paid tributes to the departed soul followed by a Guard of Honour by 120 Batallion. Several dignitaries too paid their tributes to Rana Pratap.
Rana Pratap Das is survived by his wife, one-year-old son and elderly parents.
