Albert Ekka's urn handed over to his family

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday handed over the urn of Param Vir Chakra winner Lance Naik Albert Ekka to his family in Jharkhand's Gumla district 44 years after his death.

His widow Balamdina Ekka had expressed her desire that the urn be brought back to the state. Ekka was martyred during the India-Pakistan War in 1971 at Tripura's Gangasagar, and was aid to rest at Dhulki, 15 km from Agartala in Tripura.

Ekka, then with 14 Guards, was awarded the country's highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery and dauntless determination in the Battle of Gangasagar on the Eastern Front with then Eastern Pakistan.

His urn, brought here on November 30 from Agartala, was handed over to Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who then took keen interest in handing it over to Ekka's family and directed the district administration to make elaborate arrangements for this.

Earlier on Thursday, Das, along with Governor Draupadi Murmu, garlanded the statue of the martyr at the Albert Ekka Chowk in the Ranchi capital city.

Speaking on the occasion, Das said: "He was a true patriot and his life is an inspiration for all of us, especially the youth who should take inspiration from his sacrifice and we should remember that it is the country which comes first."

The urn was placed on a decorated open van and was escorted all the way to Gumla from here.

According to a state government official, a memorial would be built on in the district which would be funded by local legislator Shiva Shankar Oraon.