Siliguri, 19 February : Four months after a tragic cloudburst claimed the lives of an Army unit in Sikkim on October 4, 2023, DNA testing has finally provided closure to one grieving family. It has been confirmed that one of the bodies recovered belonged to Nitin Dhaka, a soldier hailing from Bhawanipur village in Bijnor.
Nitin Dhaka had gone missing on October 3, leaving his family distraught. However, on Thursday, they received the heartbreaking call confirming his demise. Without delay, Dhaka’s younger brother embarked on the journey to Binagudi Cantt in West Bengal to bring back his brother’s remains. By Saturday, he had returned to their village, bringing Nitin home for his final rites.
The soldier was accorded full military honors as his body was cremated at the Bhawanipur temple. The entire village turned out to bid farewell to their fallen hero, with a sea of mourners carrying the Tricolor, symbolizing his sacrifice for the nation.
Among those paying their respects were District Magistrate Ankit Kumar Agarwal, Bijnor Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, MLA Suchi Chaudhary, BKU’s vice-state president Rajendra Singh, and many others. Their presence at the funeral procession underscored the community’s solidarity in honoring Nitin Dhaka’s service and sacrifice.
