Village mourns death of actor Om Puri

KANPUR: Nagla Bari village in Etawah district mourns the demise of cine actor Om Puri on Friday.
Puri, on the occasion of his 66th birthday on October 18, 2016 which turned out to be his last, had visited Nagla Bari residence of BSF jawan Nitin Singh Yadav martyred in Baramulla terror attack and took part in the `hawan' ceremony organised for the departed soul.
The actor had earlier sparked a controversy when he allegedly insulted the martyrs in a live TV channel debate.
Nitin Singh Yadav (24), son of Balbeer, a resident of Nagla Bari village had laid down his life while fighting heavily armed terrorists in Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir on October 2 night.
Om Puri’s statement had left the entire nation shocked, particularly the Nagla Bari village, from where Nitin hailed.
Later, in afternoon hours of October 18, Puri had met BSF jawan’s parents and his siblings, besides villagers and admitted that his comments were not in any way justifiable. He had also said that he decided to visit the family of the martyr and personally apologise for his statements.
A pall of gloom descended Nagla Bari as the news of Om Puri's death unfolded on Friday. The residents are keeping glued to their television sets and praying for the departed soul.
The locals thronged the house of Balbeer, father of Nitin, to apprise him of the sad demise of the famous actor. The villagers told TOI that they glued to their television sets to watch Om Puri’s funeral. “The news that the actor died of heart attack was shocking,” they said.
Nitin’s uncle Mukut Singh, who was stunned over Puri’s death, meanwhile, recalled that the latter was a large hearted man.
“The way he realised that he had done a mistake and came here all the way from Mumbai to Nagla Bari for rendering an apology to Nitin’s parents and that too in front of the villagers, was praiseworthy. Locals still used to recall his large heartedness that had won their heart,” said Singh.
Balbeer said, “Initially, his harsh comments for the martyrs had left all of us shocked and angry, but the way he visited the village and met us and apologised for his comments on martyrs, and sought permission from us to allow him to organise a ‘hawan’ ceremony for the departed soul, was quite an impressive gesture, and since then the ‘reel-hero’ had almost become a ‘real-life hero’ for us.”
“Since, then he was constantly in touch with Nitin’s family and often used to call them and inquire about their well being and even promised them to visit Nagla Bari again,” added Mukut Singh, Nitin’s uncle