A heart-wrenching scene unfolded in Ishani village of Odisha’s Balasore district on Thursday morning, as nine-year-old Tanuj Satpathy lit the funeral pyre of his father, Prashant Satpathy, who was killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam earlier this week.
Struggling to process the tragedy, young Tanuj followed the instructions of elders, performing the last rites in the presence of hundreds of mourners. His mother, Priya Darshini, was inconsolable and clung to her husband’s body until she fainted from grief, resisting all efforts to take it to the crematorium.
The funeral procession saw an outpouring of emotion from villagers and attendees. Many broke down in tears as Tanuj walked beside his father's bier, tossing puffed rice—a ritual part of the final journey. Among the mourners was a physically challenged man, a close friend of Prashant, who made the journey from Prashant’s home to the crematorium by crawling, after arriving on a specially designed three-wheeler.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, and Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi were present to pay their respects and accompanied the family to the crematorium, approximately a kilometre away. Chants of "Jai Hind" and "Prashant Satpathy Amar Rahe" filled the air as the final rites were performed.
Prashant’s elder brother Sushant collapsed multiple times at the crematorium, overwhelmed by grief. The youngest brother, Jayant, shared that he would carry out the nine-day mourning rituals, sparing young Tanuj the emotional toll.
Prashant, 41, was employed at the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology and had been on vacation in Jammu and Kashmir with his wife and son when the attack occurred.
Earlier in the day, CM Majhi visited the family, spending about an hour offering condolences. "I strongly condemn the incident, and the state government solidly stands with the family of Prashant Satpathy at this hour of crisis. The state will provide financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh, a job for his wife and take care of his son's education," he told reporters.