Assam loses 6 in Maoist attack

Rajendra Nath Das (right). His wife and two sons at their Sivasagar residence on Wednesday. Telegraph pictures

June 30: Assam felt the Maoist pinch in a big way after six CRPF jawans from the state died in an ambush in Chhattisgarh yesterday.

Dhrubajyoti Das, 25, along with Rajendra Nath Das, Anjan Phukan, Sohail Rana, Khai Singha and Arjun Goyari, from Assam, were among the 26 jawans massacred on Tuesday.

“My son was always excited about joining the defence forces to serve the country. He did not look for any other professional avenue after completing his graduation and joined the CRPF in 2004,” Dhrubajyoti’s heartbroken father Gopal Das said at their home in Dadara village of Kamrup district.

Gopal Das had retired as a teacher of Saraighat LP School at Amingaon.

A pall of gloom has descended on the village, which is yet to come to terms with Dhrubajyoti’s death.

“Dhruba was one of the most popular youths in our village. He was dear to all of us for his sheer courage, enthusiasm, patriotism and attitude to help others. How can the villagers accept the fact that Dhruba would leave all of them so early?” Yusuf Ali, a friend of the deceased, lamented.

From early this morning, the Das household had a stream of visitors, who offered their condolences to the bereaved family.

According to family members, Dhrubajyoti had come home on April 26 on a vacation and left on May 10.

“During his stay, Dhruba underwent a dental treatment. He left his home on May 10 to resume his duty,” a family member said.

Several hundred kilometres away to the east, Betbari Chetia-Kaibata village in Sivasagar district from where Rajendra Nath Das, 46, hailed, wore a similar look, villagers pained by the loss.

Das joined the CRPF in 1983. He left behind his wife Usha Rani and two sons — Pankaj, who had passed the HS exam in first division and Anupam — a Class VIII student.

“He was with us during Bihu,” an inconsolable Usha Rani said when contacted over phone. Das had left his family on May 27 to join duty.

Das’s wife and two sons stay at a rented house in the Jamunamukh area of Sivasagar town.

The news of Das’s death was conveyed to his family around 10am today by the CRPF from Chhattisgarh.

“We were shattered after we came to know of his death,” said a neighbour, who had come to their house.

Havildar Anjan Phukan of Arandhara village in the Kakajan area near Jorhat had joined the CRPF in 1991. He left behind his wife and two minor daughters.