Karwar: People in the coastal town of Karwar queued up to pay their last respects to local boy and BSF jawan Vijayanand Suresh Naik, who was killed during an anti-Naxal operation on July 9 and whose mortal remains arrived here on Wednesday morning.
People, who had gathered in large numbers, shouted slogans like 'Vijayanand Amar Rahe' as his body landed here.
Vijayanand of Komarapanthwada in Karwar was killed when Naxalites triggered an IED blast targeting a BSF party in Kanker district in Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.
Vijayananda was the son of retired revenue inspector Suresh Naik. He is survived by his parents, a brother and sister.
He joined the BSF in 2014 and was posted in the 121st Battalion. After his training at Imphal, he had served in West Bengal and Hyderabad before going to Chhattisgarh in the operation against Naxalites.
The mortal remains of Vijayananda were brought to Karwar via Goa on Wednesday morning, and were received by Deputy Commissioner S.S. Nakul at his office. They were taken in a procession and kept at Police Maidan for the public to pay homage. Politicians including MLA Roopali Naik paid tributes to Vijayanand.
The body was later taken to the family home at Kaumarapanthawada and from there to the crematorium at Kodibhag, where he was cremated with state honours.
In the evening amidst heavy rain, activists of Janashakthi Vedike and general public led by Madhav Naik held a candle light vigil from Mitrasamaj to Subhash Circle.
“We have lost a brave soldier. We did our bit by paying tributes to him. On Saturday, various organisations will hold programmes to pay homage to him," Madhav Naik said.
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