Widow brings back Albert Ekka's urn to Jharkhand

Balamdina Ekka, widow of Param Vir Chakra winner Lance Naik Albert Ekka, on Saturday brought back here the urn containing soil from the graveyard of her late husband.

She arrived in the state capital by an Indian Airlines flight. A 12-member team, including Ekka's son Vincent Ekka and daughter-in-law Rajni Ekka, went to Agartala on January 9 to bring back the urn.

The urn, brought back after 45 years, will now be taken to Ekka's home town in Gumla district. Ekka was martyred during the India-Pakistan War in 1971 at Tripura's Gangasagar and was laid to rest at Dhulki, 15 km from Agartala in Tripura.

Ekka, who served with 14 Guards, was awarded the country's highest gallantry award for his conspicuous bravery and dauntless determination in the Battle of Hilli on the Eastern Front with the then East Pakistan.

On December 3, 2015, the Ekka's family had refused to accept the urn, questioning its authenticity.

"Why were we not taken to Agartala where the body of Albert Ekka was laid to rest? How can we accept the urn without verifying the facts? The state government should have taken us there and brought (back) the urn," Ekka's son had said.