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Governor pays tributes to policemen

CUTTACK: The State Governor Mr. M. C. Bhandare led an all religious prayer meeting here on Saturday to pay homage to all the martyrs who lost their lives fighting against the Naxalites in Malkangiri district earlier this month. Thousands of people drawn across from different political parties, religion, caste, colour and creed joined hands in a unique way to pay their tributes to at least 17 policemen who were killed in a landmine blast triggered by the naxalites.

The day-long prayer meeting held from 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. on Saturday at Gopabandhu Park was organised by senior citizens of the city and was supervised by the city civic body.

Governor Bhandare, who was away in the US when the unfortunate incident occurred in Malkangiri, paid rich floral tributes to the martyrs. He also planted saplings in the park in memory of the martyrs.

The political stalwarts of the State including the BJD leaders Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, Baijayant Panda (MPs, Rajya Sabha), former Congress minister Mustafiz Ahmed, the BJP minister Samir Dey, city Mayor Nibedita Pradhan, Deputy Mayor Madhu Sahu and hundreds of other leaders attended the prayer meeting. Hundreds of eminent citizens of the city were seen for the first time getting together for such an important occasion.

Similarly, DGP Gopal Nanda, IGP Satyajit Mohanty, DIG Debashis Panigrahy and the city DCP S. Praveen Kumar also paid rich tributes to the martyrs on the occasion. Perhaps for the first time in the city such a unique meeting was organised here where the people were seen waiting in long queues to pay their last respect to the departed souls.

Religious heads from Hindu, Islam, Christian, Jain and Buddhist monks read their prayers throughout the day on the occasion.

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