Thousands gather to pay tribute to Machhil martyrs

VARANASI: The mortal remains of Machhil martyr Manoj Kumar Kushwaha were consigned to flames at Baikunthdham Ghat in Nawabganj on Thursday evening. The cremation of the other Machhil martyr, Shashank Kumar Singh, will take place on Friday.
Bodies of both martyrs reached Varanasi by plane and then a helicopter of the Indian Air Force took their bodies to Andhau airstrip of Ghazipur. After politicians and officials offered tributes to these martyrs at Andhau airstrip, they were sent to their parental villages.
Kushwaha, from Baddhopur village in Birno, and Singh, from Naseeruddinpur in Kasimabad, laid their lives in Pakistan's action along the Line of Control (LOC) in Machhil sector of Kupwara on Tuesday.
Thousands of people accompanied Kushwaha's body, which was cremated at Baikunthdham ghat with full state honours. Manoj is survived by his mother, brother, wife and children.
District administration officials and police had reached houses of both martyrs by evening.