Grief spread in the Nehru Colony area after a young major from this locality of Dehradun was martyred while diffusing an improvised explosive device (IED) near the line of control on Kashmir. The mortal remains of major Chitresh Bisht were brought to Dehradun on a special aircraft on Sunday. The cremation will be held with full honours on Monday at Haridwar.

The young major was martyred on Saturday while diffusing an IED at the line on control in Kashmir.

A native of Ranikhet area in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Bisht had been living with his parents in Dehradun. His father, SS Bisht, is a retired police inspector. Chitresh was slated to get married on March 7.

The wedding cards had been distributed and the young major had recently returned from Dehradun to Jammu and Kashmir after doing some of the shopping for his marriage.

According to sources, his mortals remains were brought in a special aircraft to Dehradun on Sunday and then taken to the military hospital by helicopter. The martyr’s brother, Neeraj Bisht, who resides in Britain has also arrived here.

Earlier, on Saturday, as soon as the news of his martyrdom reached his family members and then spread across the town and State, crowds of relatives, acquaintances, locals, public representatives and officials reached the Bisht residence in the Nehru Colony area of Dehradun.

Cabinet Ministers, Prakash Pant, Subodh Uniyal, Vidhan Sabha speaker Prem Chand Agarwal, MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party state president Ajay Bhatt, Pradesh Congress Committee president Pritam Singh, senior army officers and others were among those who reached the Bisht residence to express condolence and empathise with the bereaved family.

His mortal remains will be cremated with full honours at Haridwar on Monday.