Family of BSF constable killed in Congo accuses govt of insensitivity

Family members of Border Security Force (BSF) head constable Shishupal Singh Bagadia, who was killed in a violent protest in Congo, hit out at the Congress-led Rajasthan government accusing it of indifference and insensitivity.

They alleged that the government did not share any information with them about the attack rather left them in the dark.

The officer's wife Kamla Devi, and his daughter said that they were in their Jaipur house for nearly a week, mourning, waiting for his body but nobody came to console them nor were they provided with any proper information.

“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,” his daughter said.

“Everyone just tweeted and nobody visited us,” she added.

“My husband has made the supreme sacrifice and I am proud of it, but I am disappointed with the government.

Also Watch| Two Indian UN peacekeepers killed in Congo during violent protests

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 Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra.

Bagadia was laid to rest with military honours in his ancestral village in Sikar.

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.

Officials including BJP MP from Sikar Swami Sumedhanand, Govind Singh Dotasra, BSF officers paid tributes to Bagadia.

Devi went on to tell 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.

Dotasra assured Devi that the state government stands by the family.

Shishupal Singh Bagadia and BSF jawan Sanwlaram Vishnoi who were part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo were killed during violent armed protests on July 26.

(with PTI inputs)