Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik and several other dignitaries paid tribute to Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das of Indian Air Force, who died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8 last .
The Chief Minister and other dignitaries paid their tribute after a Special IAF Aircraft carrying the mortal remains of the Air force officer landed at the Biju Patnaik International Airport and a guard of honor was given.
CM Naveen Patnaik while paying floral tribute on the mortal remains of Martyr Rana Pratap Das highly praised his dedicated service and patriotism and expressed his sympathies to the bereaved family members.
Several members of the Odisha Cabinet and Odisha DGP Abhay paid their tribute to the jawan at the Airport.
Rana Pratap Das was in the Helicopter along with Chief of Defence Force General Bipin Rawat , his wife Madhulika and 12 others.
Later the mortal remains of the jawan were taken to his native village Krushnachandrapur under Kandal Panchayat in Angul district for last rites. Sources said the mortal remains of the jawan had been consigned to flames with full military honour. Rana, is survived by his wife, a one-year-old son and elderly parents.
