Navy sailor Suraj Kumar Dubey cremated with full state honours in Palamu

Indian Navy sailor Suraj Kumar Dubey, who died under suspicious circumstances in Maharashtra, was cremated with full state honours at his native village Purbadiha in Jharkhand’s Palamu district on Monday

Indian Navy sailor Suraj Kumar Dubey, who died under suspicious circumstances in Maharashtra, was cremated with full state honours at his native village Purbadiha in Jharkhand’s Palamu district on Monday. As the funeral march proceeded towards the banks of Koel river, villagers chanted “Bharat Mata ki Jai”,” Vande Matram” and “Long live Suraj Dubey”.

Suraj Kumar Dubey.

Army and Navy personnel and Jharkhand minister Mithilesh Thakur attended the funeral proceedings.

Dubey was found with severe burn injuries in the jungles of Gholvad in Palghar district and died while being taken to a hospital in Mumbai on Friday.

On his death bed, Dubey had reportedly claimed that armed men had kidnapped him and demanded a ransom of ₹10 lakh for his release. However, the Navy man’s elder brother Niraj Kumar Dubey said that they did not get any ransom calls between January 30 and February 5.

Dubey was on leave from January 1 to February 1. To re-join the service, he had boarded a Hyderabad-bound flight from Ranchi at 8am on January 30. After reaching Hyderabad, he spoke to his family members. He then boarded a flight from Hyderabad to Chennai, from where he was scheduled to take a train to Coimbatore.

Amid high-pitched demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry by the local leaders, Jharkhand minister Mithilesh Thakur said, “There should not be any politics in the death of an Indian Navy sailor. The state government will provide financial assistance of ₹10 lakh to the bereaved family and sanction pension for the family members.”

“Not only Jharkhand but the entire country is grieving the untimely demise of an Indian soldier. The government will ensure that exemplary action is taken against those involved in their heinous crime. The government will also strive for the speedy delivery of justice this son of Palamu,” the minister added.

Dubey’s family members have insisted that there was a conspiracy behind his murder and have alleged that two of his colleagues were involved. Palamu member of Parliament VD Ram and former speaker of Jharkhand Assembly Inder Singh Namdhari have already demanded a CBI probe in this case.