Hometown Ranchi gave a tearful farewell to Lieutenant-Colonel Sankalp Kumar Shukla (42), who died on December 5 fighting terrorists in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, as his mortal remains were consigned to flames this afternoon with full military honors.

Minutes before the pyre was lit, Sankalp's widow Priya was heard explaining to their eldest daughter Shara, about seven, the meaning of this particular ritual at Harmu's Muktidham.

"Dekho beta, iske baad god papa ko dil se accept kar lenge (Listen beta, after this god will accept papa in his heart). Papa is also very happy today. So, we all should be happy. We are proud of papa, na?" she told the child, clad in camouflage pants, who sat with a pinched face. Read