Chingoli (Kerala): Maniappan Raaman Kutty, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) driver killed by the Taliban, has been laid to rest with state honours. He was cremated at his hometown Chingoli on Friday.
The body was first brought to Thiruvananthapuram in a flower-decked vehicle and was kept at two places for the local people to pay homage.
Thousands surrounded the Army personnel who carried Kutty's body to his hometown. When the body, draped in the Tricolour, was taken to the pyre, cries of Bharat Mata Ki Jai filled the air.
As a mark of respect to the deceased, the state police gave a gun salute.
Kutty's eight-year-old son Ajay lit the funeral pyre while elder members of the family performed the last rites as his grandparents, stunned by the week's events, stood by helplessly.
The government has promised a job to Kutty?s wife and free education for the children, as Kutty was the sole breadwinner of the family.
Kutty's death is a wake-up call for the Indian government and the External Affairs Ministry, which has of late been expressing concerns about the resurgence of the Taliban, especially in Kandahar.
Earlier, Taliban spokesperson had said that Kutty was murdered because the BRO did not meet the deadline to pull out of Afghanistan.
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