Slain jawan's family cries revenge

Anger has overtaken grief as the family of Bablu Santra tries to come to terms with his death in the horrific suicide bombing of a CRPF contingent in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, demanding that the killing be avenged and perpetrators taught a lesson they don't forget. Santra is survived by his wife, a four-year-old daughter and mother, the jawan's nephew Raghubir Mondal said Friday after receiving the news of his death from CRPF authorities by phone.

As continual wails of Santra's wife and mother broke the eerie silence of his home, other members of the family and friends said they wanted those dead in the brazen terror attack avenged. "We want the killing of 'mama' (maternal uncle) and others who died with him avenged. Those behind the cowardly attack must be taught a lesson they don't forget," said Modal, whom his uncle often encouraged to join the force to serve the nation.

He said Santra asked him to prepare for the test to join the central paramilitary force even when he came home on leave a month-and-half back. Mondal said the family first received a phone call from the CRPF that Santra was injured in the attack that killed 40 of the force's personnel. The 38-year-old jawan succumbed hours later.

Hailing from 'Chakkashi Rajbangshipara' village of West Bengal's Howrah district, Santra had joined the CRPF in 2000 when he was a first year student at Uluberia College, his nephew said. Santra eked out a living selling fish to support his family after the death of his father.

"Mama was a very hard working person. He sold fish when he was a student to support his family after my grandfather's death," said Mondal, fondly reminiscing about his slain uncle. Santra wanted to spend time with his family and start a business after his retirement in about a year, Mondal said. But that was not to be.

Meanwhile, the distraught family of Sudip Biswas, another victim of the Pulwama terrorist attack from the state, waited for his mortal remains to arrive home. Sudip, a 27-year-old, from Nadia district of West Bengal, had joined the CRPF as a jawan in 2014.

"The body will come to Kolkata by flight via Delhi, a CRPF officer told me around 3:15 pm today. The body is in Jammu airport now. I think it will reach here tomorrow," Samapta Biswas, Sudip's brother-in-law, said. Sudip had called up his father on Thursday to enquire about his health. Around 24 hours later, his family received a phone call enquiring about the distinguishing marks on his body.

Around 9 am, the caller informed Samapta about the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy at Pulwama. "He asked me if there was any ring on Sudip's finger. I said no. He asked me where are the moles on his body. I informed him and the line got disconnected. Soon after, the man rang up again and said Sudip is no more," Samapta said.

Sudip's had last talked to his father Sanyashi, an agricultural labour, on Thursday morning when he was working in the field. "He asked me to complete the work quickly and return home. He enquired about my health.... There were talks about his marriage. He had said the house needed to be renovated first," Sanyashi Biswas said.

The wails of Sudip's mother Mamata and sister Tumpa, Samapta's wife were the only sounds in an otherwise quiet house at Hanspukuria under Tehatta police station area. "Toton (Sudip's nickname) had talked with a neighbour shortly after 3 pm yesterday. Later my sister's son told me his phone was switched off. He also informed me about the..." and she stopped mid-sentence as neighbours and relatives tried in vain to console her and her daughter.