Ranchi:
Thousands of people in Ranchi paid their last respects at the funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel Sankalp Shukla today, who was killed in Friday's terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri.
The funeral procession started from the Shukla residence on the outskirts of Ranchi at 10 am. The body of Lieutenant Colonel Shukla was placed in a decorated army truck, his father and a few other relatives also sat on the same vehicle.
A convoy of army and police cars led the truck to the funeral site, about eight km away - covering the distance took more than an hour and people stopped the truck on the way to catch one final glimpse of the soldier.
On Saturday, friends who grew up with Lieutenant Colonel Shukla in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, recounted how he survived something similar in 2004. During a militant attack in Srinagar, he had sustained three bullet injuries in the stomach.
At the funeral site, Lieutenant Colonel Shukla was cremated with full state honours, including a gun salute. The Jharkhand governor, politicians like the BJP's Arjun Munda and the top brass of the Jharkhand government and police were in attendance.
Thousands of people were there too, with chats of 'Shaheed Sankalp Shukla Amar Rahein' reverberating all through the ceremonies.
The family of Lieutenant Colonel Shukla broke down repeatedly as the funeral pyre was lit.
"I am proud my son died fighting for the country," said his father SK Shukla on Saturday. Mr Shukla spoke last to his son on Thursday night, when he had called up to inquire about their health.