BALASORE: In just over 48 hours, Tanuj Kumar Satpathy‘s life has turned upside down. Just the other day the nine-year-old was enjoying the cool climes of Pahalgam with his parents. But it all changed on Tuesday afternoon when terrorists ran amok, killing 26 tourists at the picturesque Baisaran meadow in the valley. Tanuj’s father, Prasant (41), was one of those dead.
On Thursday morning, the Class IV student of a public school in Balasore performed his father’s last rites even as his grief-stricken mother fainted, overcome with sorrow.
The entire village had turned out to pay homage to their beloved Prasant, an employee of the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology, Balasore, when his mortal remains arrived at his ancestral home in Ishani village early Thursday morning.
When it was time to take his body to the cremation ground, Prasant’s wife, Priyadarshini, clung tightly to him. As family and friends tried to separate her, an inconsolable Priyadarshini collapsed from grief. She fainted multiple times and had to be assisted by relatives. Nearby, Prasant’s elderly mother, Padmabati, was speechless as she sat beside her son’s lifeless body.
During all this while, Tanuj remained silent. At the cremation ground, he stood quietly beside his father’s body — barely able to comprehend the situation as he followed the whispered instructions of grieving elders to perform the last rites.
Emotions ran high along the funeral procession route, with chants of ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Prasant Satpathy Amar Rahe’ echoing through the village. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the bereaved family and paid floral tributes to Prasant at his home. He also joined the funeral procession. Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, BJP state president Manmohan Samal, transport minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, and several other MLAs and govt officials were also present.
The terror attack sparked widespread condemnation in the village. Jayanta, Prasant’s younger brother, demanded immediate and strong retaliation from the Indian govt. “My brother is gone forever. Let there be no delay in avenging his death,” he said.
The tragedy has also reignited calls for a tougher stance on terrorism. MP Pratap Sarangi said, “Prasant’s sacrifice must not go in vain. The roots of terrorism must be destroyed. Only then will the souls of all those martyred, including Prasant, find peace.”