Pulwama terror attack: Derapur village wants swift justice for beloved ‘Sonu’

KANPUR: Anger brimmed over in Raingawan Majra Nonari, the native village of CRPF jawan Shyam Babu, who died in the Pulwama terror attack on Thursday. Hundreds of villagers from nearby areas thronged the martyr’s home in Derapur area of Kanpur Dehat on Friday and raised slogans against terrorists and Pakistan.
“We demand revenge. Pakistan should be taught a lesson so that it stops exporting terror.What’s the Indian government waiting for? We want an immediate tit-for-tat,” they said. Anger and anguish persisted in the village as locals holding the tricolor assembled in the locality and raised anti-Pakistan slogans. “Shaheed Shyam Babu amar rahein (Long live martyred Shyam Babu) and ‘Pakistan murdabad’,” chants reverberated as scores of villagers gathered to protest.
District, police and local representatives also visited the martyred jawan’s home and offered condolences. The martyr’s neighbours described him as a down-to-earth and simple man, who always wore a smile on his face. Shyam Babu of 115 Battalion of CRPF, is survived by wife Ruby Kamal, four-year-old son Lucky, and five-month-old daughter Arushi. Other members of the household include his father Ram Prasad, mother Kailashi Devi and three siblings — two sisters and a younger brother Kamlesh, who works in Rajasthan.
He pursued his intermediate from Gandhi Inter college and joined CRPF in 2007 after graduation, family members said. “Shyam was the eldest among two siblings and was married in 2014. He visited the village in January and then again in February to oversee renovation of the house,” said mother Kailashi. “When we heard about the suicide bombing on Thursday, we were worried about his well-being. Soon our world came crashing down when CRPF personnel from Derapur police station visited our house and confirmed my son’s death. God has been not kind to us.” Kamlesh Kamal, the martyr’s younger brother and a private worker, who reached his native village from Rajasthan on Friday after hearing the news, said: “Shyam bhaiyya was always helpful and take care of every member of the family. Till the time, I got a job, he supported me.” “My father sold 10 ‘biswa’ of agricultural land to raise money for my brother’s studies,” he said.