33 yrs after death, last rites of Lt Col Rai held
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 23 2017:
Commandant Durga Bahadur Rai of Manipur Range Assam Rifles was given his last rites and cremated at Minuthong in the presence of his daughters, 33 years after his death.
Lt Col Durga Bahadur Rai was laid to rest at a designated area near the Fencing hall of Sports Authority of India at Khuman Lampak on August 5, 1984 .
The security forces also erected a tombstone at the place where his remains were buried.
The 3rd daughter of the deceased, Binita Rai from Kohima had sought the help of Advocates Keisam Pradeep and RK Somorjit in appealing the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East to exhume the remains of her father and perform the last rites according to the norms.
On March 22, the Chief Judicial Magistrate took up the case, finally allowing the body to be exhumed from the burial site in order to ease the suffering of family members and directed Imphal West Police Station OC to exhume the remains from the tomb.
Secretary of Legal Aid Counsel, District Legal Service Authority Imphal East, Director SAI, Youth Affairs and Sports, SP Imphal West, Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal East and Advocate S Devan attended the whole process.
The daughters of the deceased, Dr Sarita Rai Gurung, Kavita Rai and Binita Rai arrived in Imphal to perform the last rites of their father.
According to Kavita Rai, the family originally hail from West Bengal.
The only son in the family was killed in a plane crash at Thangjing hill in 1991 while their mother passed away in 2009 .
She further expressed gratitude towards the State Government and the Chief Judicial Magistrate for allowing the surviving family members to perform the last rite of their father.