PUNE: The last rites of CRPF martyrs Sanjay Rajput and Nitin Rathod were performed in their native villages in Buldhana district with full state honours on Saturday evening. The mortal remains were brought to Aurangabad and sent to their native places. 

The bodies of Nitin Shivaji Rathod (36) and Sanjay Singh Dixit (Rajput) (47) were brought to the Chikalthana airport, Aurangabad, around 12.25 pm. 

While Rathod hailed from Chorpangra village in Lonar tehsil of Buldhana, Rajput belonged to Malkapur in the same district. 

“Rathod’s body was sent to his village in a CRPF van, while Rajput’s mortal remains were taken to his native place in a chopper,” Inspector General of CRPF, Raj Kumar said. 

Maharashtra Minister Babanrao Lonikar, MP Chandrakant Khaire, legislators from different political parties, senior police and district officials as well as those of the CRPF paid tributes to the slain soldiers when the bodies arrived at the airport.

Rathod’s body reached his village around 4 pm. Thousands of people gathered to pay their respect. The last rites was performed around 6 pm. Rajput’s son Jayesh (13) lit his pyre at their village in Malkapur. 

The two jawans were among the 40 paramilitary personnel killed in Thursday’s attack, one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir, when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a car laden with explosives into a CRPF bus which was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had Friday announced financial aid of Rs 50 lakh each to the families of the two jawans and the amount has been handed over to the families.