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Residents of the town watch as the body of Roshan is being taken for the funeral. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kalimpong, Nov. 19: Rifleman Roshan Rai of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, who had died fighting militants in Kashmir on November 15, was given a hero’s farewell at his hometown today.

When the army band sounded the last post at 12.45 pm, over 5,000 residents of the town gathered at the Chinedara graveyard above East Main Road here. They watched as people placed wreaths, khadas (traditional scarves) and flowers before Roshan’s photograph at the foot of the coffin and the band played Auld Lang Syne.

The body was brought to the graveyard after taken around the town. Draped in the national flag, the coffin was put in an army truck with wreaths and khadas tied to it.

Roshan’s father, Mani Raj Rai — who had also served in the army — and his younger son bowed their heads in homage to Roshan, leaving everyone present at the funeral with moist eyes. “I have cried a lot over the past 24 hours, but not in front of my wife. She has fallen ill and will be shattered if I break down before her,” Rai senior later told The Telegraph. “He (Roshan) was a very obedient kid.”

The kid, of course, died a man, taking on Kashmiri militants in the Gulgam forest of the Kumwara sector. “We were proceeding to secure a front after an exchange of fire with militants. It was pitch dark and suddenly the place lit up. We saw Roshan and a militant, just five yards away from him, fire at each other and later found both of them lying dead,” said Rakesh Blown, Rai’s mate from the same unit.

Subdivisional officer Shakil Ahmed and additional superintendent of police of Kalimpong Debashish Baral were, however, were absent at the funeral, though both were issued invites by the local army authorities. “Post-Kargil, there is a central instruction, asking the presence of civil dignitaries at funerals of those who die in action,” said an officer.

Ahmed, however, said he would have attended the funeral if he was well.