Army Major killed in landmine explosion was to tie the knot next month
Dehradun : Major Chitresh Bisht, who was killed while defusing a landmine along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, was all set to get married next month
Major Bisht was leading a bomb disposal squad team for sanitisation when mines were detected on the track in Naushera sector on Saturday. The team defused one of the mines successfully but while neutralizing another mine, the device got activated and the officer suffered grievous injuries and died.
As the news of Major Bisht's martyrdom spread here on Saturday night, scores of relatives and acquaintances visited his house in Nehru Colony to express condolences with his parents.
Major Bisht's marriage had been finalised and he was to come home on February 28, sourced close to the family said. The wedding was due on March 7.
Major Bisht's father SS Bisht is a retired policeman and his mother a housewife. The family hails from Ranikhet in Almora district.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said, "I salute the supreme sacrifice made by Major Bisht in the service of the nation and send my heartfelt condolences to the martyr's family. The entire country stands with them in this hour of grief."
Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya and former chief minister Harish Rawat have also condoled the death of Major Bisht.
Pradesh BJP President Ajay Bhatt and party MLAs Vinod Chamoli and Umesh Sharma Kau were among those who visited the house of the officer.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
