Kin of slain BSF jawan refuse to perform last rites, demand presence of PM, CM
Officials struggled to pacify the agitating villagers who shouted slogans calling for retaliation by the Indian Army.
Family members of a BSF jawan whose body was mutilated by Pakistani soldiers on Tuesday refused to perform his last rites, demanding the presence of either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or chief minister Yogi Adityanath and an assurance of avenging his killing.
Prem Sagar Prasad and army naib subedar Paramjeet Singh were killed and their bodies mutilated by Pakistani soldiers near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector on Monday, sparking anger across India and calls for a military retaliation.
BSF constable Rajinder Singh, who as injured in the ambush, is out of danger.
“We will not allow you to cremate (the) body until Yogiji or Modiji comes here,” Sagar’s wife Gyanti told police and administrative officials at his native village Takenpur, about 40 km from the district headquarters Deoria in Uttar Pradesh.
Officials struggled to pacify the agitating villagers who shouted slogans, “Modiji badla lo Pakistan se, ek ke badle me pachas lo (Modi take revenge on Pakistan, bring 50 heads in response to one).”
45-year-old Sagar’s daughter also demanded a tit-for-tat reply for her father’s death.
“My father is martyred. I demand 50 heads for one head,” Saroj had said fighting back tears while consoling her mother.
People shouted anti-Pakistan slogans as the IAF chopper, carrying the soldier’s body, landed at the Police Lines ground in Deoria, from where it was taken to the village in an ambulance.
Angry protesters also stopped the Vaishali express demanding the two leaders to come to the village to meet the aggrieved family.
Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi, who was among those who carried the coffin, handed over a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the family members but locals demanded Rs 50 lakh along with promise of a government job to Sagar’s daughter.
Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.