Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Manish Ranjan, who tragically lost his life in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, had planned to take his parents to the Vaishno Devi shrine following his vacation, a close friend revealed.
Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, who was present at Ranchi airport on Thursday to receive Ranjan’s mortal remains, recalled his friend as a brilliant and dedicated individual. “His father recently retired as the headmaster of Hindi High School in Jhalda. Manish wanted to take his parents to Vaishno Devi after this vacation,” Gupta said.
Ranjan, serving as a section officer with the IB in Hyderabad, was among the 26 victims of the brutal terror attack on Tuesday.
Another friend, Aditya Sharma, also at the airport to accompany the body to Ranjan’s native village in Jhalda, West Bengal’s Purulia district, expressed his grief and outrage. “We never imagined something so horrifying could happen. They say terrorists have no religion, but this attack clearly targeted innocents based on their faith,” Sharma said.
Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi also paid tribute at the airport, condemning the killings in strong terms. “The killing of innocent civilians based on religious identity is inexcusable. The government will ensure the perpetrators and masterminds of this heinous crime are brought to justice,” Marandi affirmed.
