Martyr Rakesh Raturi consigned to flames with full state honours. Thousands hail his heroic deed

Thousands of people in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, several other parts of the state and the country, today bid their tearful farewell to Rakesh Chandra Raturi, martyr of the Commando operation in Jammu who breathed his last on 12th of February, 2018 hailing from the Mahar Regiment. Cammando Raturi had succumbed to the grievous bullet injuries of the terrorists while fighting them valiantly for hours together in Jammu’s Army residential compound on 12th february. He was cremated with full state honours and gun salutes in Haridwar today, afternoon in the presence of hundreds of people amidst raising of slogans,” Rakesh Raturi Amar Rahe”.

Prior to his cremation the body of the martyr Raturi was brought to his parental house at Dehradun wrapped in a try colour where the chief minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Rawat, the former CM and MP Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, several ministers of the state cabinet and the lawmakers paid their rich tributes to the departed soul. He was finally consigned to flames at Haridwar in the afternoon with full state honours.

It’s indeed a most tragic, shocking and anguishing news. A brave and valiant fighter Rakesh Chandra Raturi was martyred on 12th February while fighting the terrorists in Army residential camp at Jammu. The family of the martyred soldier lives in Badon Kala, Krishna Vihar, Shimla Bypass, Dehradun. Rakesh Raturi succumbed to the grievous injuries inflicted on him while valiantly fighting the terrorists for two and a half hours incessantly on the midnight of Friday n Saturday.

His elder brother Revati Nandan Raturi was officially informed about his sad demise by the Army officers at 8.00 PM on Monday. 43 year old Rakesh Chandra Raturi was serving in the 6 Mahar Regiment. He was these days deputed in the Commando operations in Jammu being specialised in fighting terrorists.

He originally belonged to village Seekar Sain under the jurisdiction of Patti Balkandaarsiun, district Pauri Garhwal. He sadly left behind his wife Nanda Devi, daughter, aged 19 , Kiran Kumari and 16 year old son Nitin. His father passed last year after suffering from a protracted illness.

Late Rakesh Raturi was to come to his hometown in Dehradun on 20th February on leave to attend the marriage of his niece and nephew on 22nd February and 5th March but destiny had this tragic end stored for him, shockingly. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat has expressed his condolenses to the bereaved family and assured them of all possible help financially and otherwise. He announced a government job for the next of the kin of the martyr Raturi.

May the Almighty give peace to the departed pious soul and tremendous strength to the bereaved family to bear this most irreperable loss.

Shaheed Rakesh Chandra Raturi was cremated with full honours at Hardwar, Uttarakhand today afternoon.

It may be recalled that 5/6 patriotic Army Jawans have also sacrificed their precious lives while relentlessly fighting the dreaded LET terrorists in the above operation that continued for hours together.

Our sincere and heartfelt tributes to all of them and condolenses to the bereaved families.
SUNIL NEGI, PRESIDENT, UTTARAKHAND JOURNALISTS FORUM