Sanjha Morcha

Major Deswal’s body flown out for last rites

Imphal/jhajjar, April 14

The body of Major Amit Deswal, who was killed in an encounter yesterday, was recovered from a remote place in Tamenglong district of Manipur today and flown to Jorhat.The body will be taken to Surheti village in Jhajjar district of Haryana for last rites.Maj Deswal, who belonged to 21 Para Special Forces, was paid tributes with full military honours. His father, Subedar Rishiraj Deswal (retd), who was visiting his son, was the first to lay a wreath on the coffin.Maj Deswal was killed in a gunbattle with ZUF militants in the densely forested Nungba area during a combing operation undertaken jointly by Rashtriya Rifles and Special Forces personnel. One of the militants was also killed.The officer is survived by his wife and three-year-old son Arjun. The combing operation, which was on for the past few days, has been called off, official sources said.Major Deswal cleared the CDS exam at the age of 19 in 2005. Physically robust, he was awarded ‘Commando Dagger’ after he joined elite 21 Para in January 2011. “He loved challenges and faced them with courage,” recalled his crestfallen uncle Shamsher Singh. Amit’s father, Rishiraj Deswal, retired as Subedar in the Army. His grandfather Nathu Ram too had served in the armed forces. Rishiraj was in Manipur visiting his son when the tragic news came. “Originally belonging to Surheti village, Rishiraj built a house in Jhajjar three years ago. Amit had come home for his brother Ankit’s marriage in February,” recalled Shamsher Singh. Ankit said he last spoke to his brother over the phone on Saturday when he, along with his unit members, was headed to Tamenglong for combing operations.  — Ravinder Saini & Agencies