New Delhi, September 20
Delhi police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who succumbed to his injuries sustained during an encounter with terrorists yesterday, was cremated today at Nigambodh Ghat with full police honours.
Sharma’s father Narottam Sharma performed the last rites. Hundreds of friends, colleagues, family members and general public attended the cremation ceremony. Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Chief Minister Shiela Dixit, BJP leader L.K. Advani and Delhi Police commissioner Y.S Dadwal attended the funeral.
Earlier in the day, a tearful adieu was given to Sharma at his residence at Om Satyam Apartments in Sector 4, Dwarka. As the body of the 43-year-old was brought to his home from the hospital in a flower-decked vehicle, family members, neighbours and well wishers chanted slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Long live Mother India)” and “M. C. Sharma Amar Rahe (Long live M C Sharma)”. A Delhi Police contingent paid a gun salute to the departed officer. Sharma is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. His son, who was recuperating from Dengue in a city Hospital, was also brought home to bid farewell to his father.
Sharma’s demise has come as a shock to the Delhi Police. Several colleagues in the special cell bade farewell to him with wet eyes today. Sharma was critically injured in the fierce gunbattle with 5 terrorists at the Batla House locality of Jamia Nagar in South Delhi yesterday. Sharma, who knocked on the doors of the armed terrorist in plain clothes, without a bulletproof jacket, was hit in the stomach by three bullets, which proved fatal.
His friends and well-wishers in the Delhi Police believe that the martyrdom of Sharma will inspire men in khaki. “We will never be cowed down by the bunch of traitors. Inspector Sharma will inspire generation of police personnel and his name will go down in the annals of history”, said a police officer from the special cell.
Expressing shock over the demise of Sharma, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the condolence message to his wife said, “Sharma was an exceptionally brave officer. He had shown exceptional courage throughout his career and had been decorated with gallantry awards many times. He was an inspiration for our security forces in his life and will continue to inspire them after this demise too. It is officers like your husband, who make us all feel confident that our security is in safe hands. Your husband’s passing away is a great loss for our country and society.”
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in her condolence message described inspector Sharma as a valiant officer. “Inspector Sharma battled the terrorists valiantly and sacrificed his life in the service of the country”, said Gandhi.
In his message, minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal said, “It is a loss to the country and especially to the Delhi Police. He was a very competent officer.”
