Since morning, a crowd had been gradually gathering in front of the house of Jhontu Ali Sheikh, a local boy from the neighborhood. Around 9:30 AM on Saturday, when the body of the martyred soldier arrived at his home in Patharghata, Tehatta, Nadia, family members broke down in tears. From neighbors to the entire village, everyone was engulfed in grief. A large crowd gathered outside the martyr’s house to get a last glimpse of their beloved local boy. People came from far and wide to pay their final respects.
To control the crowd, police set up barricades. A stage was also erected in front of the martyr’s house where he was to be honored, draped in the national flag and offered floral tributes. A gun salute was planned as well. From about five kilometers before reaching his house, villagers lined up to catch a final glimpse of the village’s brave son. Barricades were also placed beside the stage to manage the large crowd.
On April 22, terrorists attacked innocent tourists in Pahalgam. Following the attack, security forces launched a search operation for the militants. Based on intelligence inputs, security forces began an operation in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. As the hidden terrorists sensed the presence of security forces, they opened fire.
Jhontu Ali Sheikh, a 6 Para Special Forces soldier, participated in the operation and was martyred by terrorist gunfire. His body arrived at Kolkata Airport late Friday night. State minister Firhad Hakim paid respects by draping the coffin with the national flag and laying a floral wreath. The body was then taken to a morgue and on Saturday morning transported to his home in Tehatta, Nadia.
Jhontu’s wife is unable to accept the news of her husband’s death. He left behind a son and a daughter. Facing the media, the martyr’s wife said she still cannot believe her husband will never return. He dearly loved children and, whenever he was home, spent time not just with his own children but also with neighborhood kids. She said that early Thursday morning she received the last message from her husband, saying he would be busy with work and would talk to her the next day.
Busy with daily chores, she did not sense what was to come. Later, she heard that he had been injured but was stable, which gave her some hope. She said, “In the afternoon, I got the news he was injured but stable. I thought he would recover soon. Later, I was told the real news.” She added, “He always performed his duties with utmost dedication. For him, the country always came first, before family or friends. He never shared mission details with me.”
When Jhontu’s coffin was brought to their yard, his wife Jhuma Sheikh could not hold back her emotions and broke down, hugging her husband’s body. His parents also could not be consoled. Draped in the national flag, his body was given a farewell as per military protocol.
Jhontu Ali Sheikh was one of three brothers, and both he and his elder brother Rafiqul Sheikh served in the army. Today, there was a single cry among the villagers: just as Jhontu Ali Sheikh was brutally murdered by terrorists in Kashmir, those terrorists must be destroyed by the Indian army. Now, all eyes are on how quickly the central government takes strong action against the Pakistan-backed terrorists.
One villager said, “We demand revenge. Our boy is gone. But there must be a fitting response against the terrorists. Until that happens, we will not find peace.”
