Yogi Adityanath travels with AC, sofa to meet kin of deceased BSF soldier, family humiliated by insensitivity

The family members of BSF head constable Prem Sagar, who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir and his body mutilated by Pakistani troops earlier this month, were deeply disturbed when at his hometown Deoria, the district administration first installed an airconditioner and put up a sofa and carpet and then removed the same soon after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid his visit at Sagar’s residence to extend his condolences to the bereaved family. [caption id=“attachment_3357900” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. PTI[/caption] The soldier’s kin said they were taken aback when authorities removed the window air conditioner, sofa and carpet soon after the chief minister left their place, reported NDTV. “Officials took away the carpet, sofa and AC soon after Adityanath left our residence. Within 15 to 30 minutes of his departure, everything was gone,” Dayasagar, brother of the fallen BSF trooper, said. However, there was no official word on it. The Deoria administration had installed an air-conditioner, and put up a sofa and a carpet in the room where the chief minister was to meet the family. A day before the chief minister’s visit, dusty roads in the village were cleaned and drains which always used to remain open were covered as well. The 50-year-old BSF head constable was on patrol duty between two forward posts along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir as part of a 10-member team of BSF and army soldiers when Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire, using rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) allegedly crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Indian Army died in the ambush and their bodies were mutilated. Head Constable Sagar was on patrol duty on 1 May along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch when Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. While taking cover, Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Army were left behind.They were killed and their bodies mutilated. Sagar’s family had refused to perform his last rites, insisting that the chief minister visit them. They agreed to cremate his body only after the chief minister spoke to them. During the meeting with the family of Prem Sagar, the Chief Minister handed over a cheque of Rs four lakh and a fixed deposit of Rs two lakh to the widow of the deceased soldier. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi had extended a financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh to the family. The chief minister had also announced that a girls inter college would be constructed on a stretch of 1.5 acres of government land and a memorial in the memory of the slain soldier would also be made. On the remaining land, a park would be constructed and beautified.He also reportedly promised employment to Sagar’s children after they completed their studies. With regard to a demand for a gas agency for the family, he had said a recommendation would be sent to the Central government. With inputs from IANS