Union minister among thousands attend last rites of CRPF Jawan in J-K's Rajouri

Thousands of people, including Union minister Jitendra Singh, Saturday attended the last rites of one of the 40 martyred CRPF personnel in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A pall of gloom descended on Dudasunballa village of the border district as the tricolour wrapped coffin carrying the mortal remains of the jawan, head constable Naseer Ahmad, reached his village for last rites.

Forty CRPF personnel, including Ahmad, were killed when a suicide bomber struck their explosive-laden vehicle with a convoy in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Thursday.

Singh along with senior party colleagues, including state president Ravinder Raina, joined thousands of villagers who assembled here to bid a tearful adieu to the jawan, officials said.

They said senior civil, police, CRPF and Army officers visited the village and paid floral tributes to the martyr.

"Pakistan and the terrorists have committed a grave mistake and they will have to pay a heavy price for it," Raina said.

Ahmad is survived by his wife and two children.

A senior CRPF officer assured full support to the family of the martyr and said all necessary measures would be taken to take care of his children.