After a 44-year-long wait, a part of lance Naik Albert Ekka will return to his ancestral home in Jari village of Gumla district in Jharkahnd. Soil from the Paramveer Chakra awardee’s grave in Tripura will finally reach his village on Thursday in a fashion similar to escorting important dignitaries.
“The soil from Albert Ekka’s grave will be taken to Jari via road in an open vehicle. Accompanying the vehicle will be motorcycle-ridden policemen who will escort the vehicle to its destination like we escort special guests to the state,” informed Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar.
“The vehicle to be used has already been sent to offices of Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association who will decorate it as per military customs. It will be taken to Chief Minister’s residence from where it will leave for Jari after 8 am and will reach its destination most probably by 1 pm,” he added.
The vehicle carrying the soil will also have a picture of Albert Ekka and will stop for people to pay their tributes to the war hero.
“The vehicle will halt at block headquarters as it passes them on its way to Jari for homage ceremonies organised there by the district administration,” stated Gumla DC Dinesh Chandra.
CM Raghubar Das will leave for Gumla later in the day and will reach Jari by air, where he will present the container with soil to Albert Ekka’s wife Balamdina. Before going there, he will arrive at Albert Ekka Chowk on 9:30am to honour the war hero on the occasion of his death anniversary.
Das will also lay the foundation stone of the memorial to be built near Ekka’s house to commemorate his martyrdom. The soil taken to Jari will also be laid in the foundation of the memorial. Apart from that, the usual ceremonies organised at Jari on the occasion of Ekka’s death anniversary will be held with more grandeur this year.
like every year, a guard of honour will be presented to Albert Ekka by the district police personnel this year too, stated Gumla SP Bheemsen Tuti.
The new addition to this will be relevant army officials attending this ceremony. “We are expecting army personnel from Ekka’s unit in 1971 Indo-Pak war, most probably his seniors to come to the ceremony in Jari,” stated the Ranchi DC.