Last rites of BSF trooper killed by Pakistani Rangers held in Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 4 (IANS)  The last rites of Border Security Force trooper Tapan Mondal, who was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district on Thursday, were performed in in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Saturday, a BSF official said.

Mondal, deployed on the Jammu frontier, died when the Pakistan Rangers fired at a patrol party along the International Border on Thursday night.

His body was flown in to his native village Sutli in Murshidabad district's Berhampur, where he was paid the last respect by the villagers as well as the senior BSF officers.

"He has sacrificed his life for the country. It is a sad incident. His sacrifice is a matter of great pride for the BSF," said U.C. Hazarika of BSF's sector headquarters Berhampur.

Mondal, who got married less than a year ago, was also the only earning member of his family.

"We cannot believe this has happened. He was the only earning member. We have no one else to rely upon now," said his teary-eyed father.