This Article is From Aug 01, 2022

Family Of Peacekeeper Killed In Congo Accuses Government Of Insensitivity

The families hit out at the government for allegedly not sharing any information with them about the attack and leaving them in the dark.

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India News
Sikar/Barmer:

Family members of BSF head constable Shishupal Singh Bagadia, who was killed in a violent protest in Congo, on Monday hit out at the government for allegedly not sharing any information with them about the attack and leaving them in the dark.

Bagadia's wife Kamla Devi and daughter said they were in their Jaipur house for nearly a week, crying and waiting for the body, but no one came forward to console them or provide them proper information.

Bagdia and BSF jawan Sanwlaram Vishnoi were part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo, and were killed during violent armed protests in Butembo city on July 26.

Their cremation were performed in their respective villages in Sikar and Barmer on Monday.

Bagadia was cremated with military honours at his ancestral village Bagadia ki Dhani in Laxmangarh, Sikar.

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Thousands of people turned up to pay floral tributes to the soldier and a Tiranga yatra was taken out in honour of him from Balaran to Singodara, Dholas, Kheerwa and Dudwa to his native village in Laxmangarh.

BJP MP from Sikar Swami Sumedhanand, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, other public representatives and senior district and police officers apart from Border Security Force (BSF) officials paid tributes to Bagadia.

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"My husband has made the supreme sacrifice and I am proud of it, but I am disappointed with the government. No one reached out to us. We know how we spent the last six-seven days, how difficult it was, we were crying but unfortunately, there was no one to tell us what actually happened," Devi told reporters in the presence of Dotasra.

She also asked Dotasra, "Being the state party president, I had expectations from you because it is your area (constituency)." To which the Congress leader replied that he was infected with COVID-19 and was hospitalised, therefore he could not visit her earlier.

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He assured that he and the state government stood by the family.

Bagadia's daughter said they had been waiting for the body and trying to contact authorities, but there was no proper information.

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"We want to know what exactly happened to my father. He served the nation more than his family. We want to know under what circumstances this incident happened. It should be inquired," she said.

"Everyone just tweeted and nobody visited us," she said.

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In Barmer, the last rites of BSF jawan Sanwalaram Vishnoi were performed with military honours.

The body kept at the BSF battalion headquarters in Barmer and were taken to his village Baand in Gudhamalani, nearly 70 km from there, in a decorated truck. A large number of vehicles were also part of the procession. Thousands of people on both sides of the road were gathered on the entire route who raised slogans like 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', and 'Sanwalaram Amar Rahe'.

Forest Minister and MLA from Gudhamalani, Hemaram Chaudhary, Labour Minister Sukhram Vishoi and other public representatives and officers paid floral tributes to the fallen soldier.

Vishnoi's wife said she is proud of her husband's supreme sacrifice and will send both her sons to serve in the Army.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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