Borah demands a new Sainik school in Bihpuria in memory of Naruttam Deuri

Naruttam Deuri

ECHOING the sentiments of people of Assam in general and Bihpuria in particular, MLA Bhupen Borah has made an appeal to the Centre to grant a Sainik school to the area in memory of Naruttam Deuri, the brave soldier from the locality who died in an accident of Indian submarine INS Sindhurakshak near Mumbai in mid-August. Borah, who is also an AICC secretary, has thanked Jitendra Singh, minister of state for…
youth affairs and sports (independent charge) and the minister of state for defence, for extending all kinds of support from bringing back Naruttam’s mortal remains to his village, to performing his last rites in full military honour. “I was in touch with Mr Jitendra Singh who told me that he would extend all kinds of help for the brave soldier’s last journey. I appeal to the ministry of defence and other concerned authorities to go an extra mile to help setting up a new Sainik school in memory of the soldier,” Borah said in a statement.
On early morning of September 12, thousands of people in the locality gathered at Narayanpur Inspection Bungalow where the mortal remains of the brave soldier were kept. After paying their respect to Naruttam, the people of the area joined a four-kilometre-long procession to bring him home. It was Naruttam’s last journey to Majar Chapari village where his parents waited for 27 days hoping against hope that their son, trapped in the submarine blast under the sea near Mumbai, would come back alive. But God was not so kind. Naruttam was already a martyr when he reached home. Assam government’s water resources minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu represented chief minister Tarun Gogoi and paid his homage to the departed soul. The state government also gave Rs 1 lakh to the family to get their mortgaged land released from money lenders. Also, the administration has taken up the cause of building a pucca house for the family of the departed soldier. At present, they are living at a thatched house.
Those who paid last respect to Naruttam included other state government officials, police brass, armed forces officials, members of student bodies like AASU, Deuri Students’ Union etc. and local political leaders.
“According to local residents, Bihpuria legislator Bhupen Kumar Borah played a leading role in organising the last rites,” said a report in Telegraph, popular English daily with a major presence in North-Eastern states. A number of Assamese and English newspapers and TV channels also lauded Borah’s efforts in this regard. Borah’s SMSes for mobilizing crowd went viral in the area a day before the cremation.
Naruttam will remain a hero in hearts and minds of people of Assam for many years to come.
Here are 5 facts about INS Sindhurakshak where Naruttam died.
1) INS Sindhurakshak is a diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.
2) The submarine was fully operational with weapons on board. Got half-submerged after the fire.
3) It had suffered a similar accident in 2010 in which one sailor was killed. The vessel was then docked in Visakhapatnam.
4) Its weight is 2,300-tonne, which is roughly equal to 230 loaded trucks.
5) It can carry carry 52 crew members for 45 days without any break.