The two BSF men were on a bike patrol when Naxals triggered an IED blast. (Representational Image)
Two Border Security Force (BSF) men who laid down their lives in the line of duty during an anti-Naxal operation in the jungles of Odisha earler this year, were today honoured with a major square in the city being named after them.
At a public event held here, the two BSF men -- Deputy Commandant Sunil Kumar Behera and constable Siba Sis Panda -- were paid tributes and Ramagiri Chowk was renamed as 'Veer Siba Sunil Chowk'.
The decision to honour the two men was taken jointly by BSF and district administration after which senior officials inaugurated a plaque and a memorial bearing their names and their gallant acts on January 8.
A number of people in the area, school children and family members of the two personnel attended the event, a senior official said.
The two BSF men were on a bike patrol when Naxals triggered an IED blast near Dandabari village in Koraput that hit them.
While Siba Sis Panda who was driving the bike, died on the spot, his commander Sunil Kumar Behera later succumbed to his injuries.
The incident had occurred at around 1:00 pm on January 8 when a team of about 20 BSF personnel were returning from a search operation in Dandabari village on 10 motorcycles and the first carrying the team commander and the jawan got trapped in the blast carried out by using a hidden bomb on a dirt track of Kaliajhula forests.
Both Mr Behera and Mr Panda were credited with undertaking good operations in various areas of Koraput.