Bhubaneswar: The mortal remains of Prashant Satapathy, who was killed in the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, will arrive here at Biju Patnaik International Airport this afternoon.
His devastated wife Priyadarshani Acharya and son Tanuj Kumar accompany him on the heartbreaking journey. His family members Jayanta Kumar Satpathy, Manoranjan Mohanty and Ratanshri Mohanty are also with them.
The family’s return to Odisha is being made via a connecting flight route. Shri Satapathy’s mortal remains, along with his wife and child, are being flown from Srinagar to Bhubaneswar, with a stopover in New Delhi. The flight is scheduled to reach at 2.35 pm here at the Biju Patnaik International Airport.
The arrangements were made with the coordination of local authorities, airline officials, and the Home Department to ensure the family’s travel could proceed smoothly in the wake of this tragedy, sources said.
As the body reaches Bhubaneswar, some senior leaders along with his friends, relatives, and members of the community are expected to gather to pay their last respects.
The 43-year-old Prashant Satpathy, is one of the 26 people who lost their lives in the terror strike.
A resident of Ishani village under Remuna block, Shri Satpathy was working as an accountant and had gone to Jammu and Kashmir with his wife, Priyadarshini and nine-year-old son on April 19 for a vacation.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi described the attack as “heinous and barbaric” and expressed deep grief over the deceased tourists.
“It has also been reported that an Odia tourist has died in this incident. The Chief Minister has directed the Principal Resident Commissioner in Delhi to take steps to ensure that the body of the deceased Odia tourist reaches his residence smoothly,” he said.
Taking to X, the CM said: “Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in #Pahalgam, South Kashmir. Violence has no place in our society. Heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Odisha stands in solidarity with the victims and their families during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, the political affairs committee of OPCC observed one-minute silent prayer for the departed souls and offered condolences to the victims’ families.