Village in Chhattisgarh bids adieu to jawan who died in Ladakh

The last rites of martyred Army jawan Ganesh Ram Kunjam were performed with full state honours at his village in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on late Thursday night, officials said.

The last rites of martyred Army jawan Ganesh Ram Kunjam were performed with full state honours at his village in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on late Thursday night, officials said. Sepoy Kunjam (27) was among the 20 Indian Army personnel who were killed in a clash with Chinese soldiers in Galwan valley of Ladakh on Monday night.

Kunjam's body, wrapped in national flag and covered in flowers, reached Gidhali village, over 100 km from here, in the evening. Hundreds of villagers including his childhood friends took part in the funeral procession, shouting "Ganesh amar raahe".

His father Itwaru Ram Kunjam lit the funeral pyre. State Public Health Engineering minister Guru Rudrakumar, BJP MP Mohan Mandavi, state Congress chief Mohan Markam, MLAs and other public representatives paid last respects to the martyred soldier before the cremation, a local official said.

Earlier in the evening, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel paid tribute to Kunjam after his mortal remains arrived at the Raipur airport. Baghel also handed over a cheque of compensation of Rs 20 lakh to Kunjam's father and announced a government job for a member of the family.

The government school in the slain soldier's village will be named after him, the chief minister announced..