Last rites of former Fire Services DG Binoy Behera performed in Puri

Puri: The last rites of former DG of Fire Services and Home Guards Binoy Behera were completed at Puri Swargadwar (crematorium) today. The funeral pyre of Binoy was lit by his eldest son Baibhav.

Various senior IPS officers of Odisha Police, retired IPS officers and other dignitaries paid tributes to Binoy before his body was brought from his Cuttack residence to Puri Swargadwar today morning.

A 1982-batch IPS officer, Behera retired from service recently on October 31. However, a day after his retirement, Behera fell sick with pneumonia and was admitted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar where he breathed his last while undergoing treatment. He was 60.

The demise of Binoy also came as a shock for the villagers of Mundraguda in Kalahandi district, his home town.

"He was a very good and social person. He was egoless, had a good relationship with everyone in the village despite being in such an important position," said a resident of Mundraguda, Ramkrushna.

Binoy had played a key role in arrest of Dara Singh, the main accused in Graham Staines murder case.

He was also the first Commissioner of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police Commissionerate.

Binoy was the best choice for being the next DGP of Odisha, but it just remained a dream, said many of his counterparts.

"He was capable and as DGP he would have performed his duties well and would have served the people of Odisha," said former DGP Sanjeev Marik.

"As the government does not want interference in its matters, many undeserving persons remain in higher positions and many deserving ones are left out," said former DGP SN Tiwari.

A versatile officer, Binoy wore many hats as a fine sportsman, singer, actor and contributed immensely to policing.

Binoy was also a fine sportsman, who won medal at the All India Police Tennis Championship. He was also a wildlife lover and had got a PhD after completing research on elephants. 

He was also Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC). He even worked as a Management Trainee at Steel Authority of India and as a Probationary Officer at State Bank of India before joining the elite IPS in 1982.