CRPF jawan Mohan Lal's mortal remains consigned to flames with full honors in Haridwar

A large crowd bade a tearful farewell to Mohan Lal on Saturday as the mortal remains of the CRPF ASI killed in the Pulwama terror attack were consigned to flames with full state honours at Haridwar's Kharkhari cremation ground on the banks of the Ganga. The funeral pyre was lit by Lal's sons -- Shankar Raturi and Ram Prasad Raturi -- as hundreds of people watched.

Those who attended the final rites included CRPF DIGs -- Dinesh Uniyal and G Vimal Bisht -- besides BJP MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Uttarakhand assembly Speaker Prem Chand Aggrawal, State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik. Many also shouted anti-Pakistan slogans as the flames went up.

Lal, 53, was among 40 CRPF men killed in Pulwama on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber blew up a bus which was part of a CRPF convoy. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat paid tributes to Lal at his residence in Vidya Vihar locality near Kargi Chawk in Dehradun after his mortal remains were brought home in a coffin wrapped in the national flag.

Rawat laid a wreath on the coffin to pay homage to Lal and commiserated with his family members assuring them of all support from the government. The Uttarakhand government has already announced financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of CRPF jawans from the state killed in the attack besides a government job to one member from each family as per their qualifications. "The entire country stands by the brave para-military personnel who have sacrificed their lives in the terror assault," he said.

The chief minister also gave a shoulder to the coffin before it was loaded into a vehicle to be taken to Haridwar for the last rites. Lal, who hailed from Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, was an ASI with the 76th battalion of the CRPF.

Two CRPF men from Uttarakhand were killed in the attack, the other being Virendra Singh, who was from Khatima in Udham Singh Nagar district. Others who paid tribute to Lal at his residence in Dehradun included BJP's Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, the party's Dharampur MLA Vinod Chamoli and the party's city unit president Vinay Goyal.

A huge crowd gathered at Lal's residence as his mortal remains were brought home in the early hours. People shouted anti-Pakistan slogans and hoped it will be given a befitting reply.

(With inputs from agencies.)