Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday paid homage to Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Girepunje, who was killed in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Sukma district.
Speaking at the wreath-laying ceremony, the Chief Minister asserted that the days of Naxalism are numbered and that Girepunje's supreme sacrifice would not be in vain.
ASP Girepunje lost his life and two of his colleagues were injured on Monday when a Naxal-planted improvised explosive device exploded during an operation in the insurgency-hit Sukma region.
The ceremony took place at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) in Mana, Raipur. Emotional scenes unfolded as chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Akash Rao Amar Rahe" echoed through the premises. CM Sai, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Sharma and Arun Sao, Assembly Speaker Raman Singh, several cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats, and police officials attended the solemn event.
Girepunje’s grieving family, including his parents, wife, and two young children, stood by his mortal remains. His seven-year-old son paid his final respects with folded hands, while his six-year-old daughter was held by a relative.
“We have lost a courageous and dedicated officer. This cowardly attack reflects the desperation of Naxalites. Their end is inevitable,” CM Sai told reporters following the ceremony.
In a gesture, top state leaders and officials joined the martyr’s family in carrying the coffin, which was adorned with flowers and placed in a mini-truck. The vehicle had earlier transported the body from Girepunje's residence in Kushalpur to the CAF campus, drawing large crowds who lined the route and raised patriotic slogans.
The officer's funeral procession later made its way to Mahadev Ghat, where he was laid to rest with full honors, as a sea of mourners joined to bid farewell to the slain officer.
