The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been slammed by opposition parties after it was found that a party covered the coffin of martyred Odia jawan Ajit Sahoo, who died in militants’ IED blast in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on June 17.
While the body of the Indian Army Jawan was being taken in a procession to his native Badasuanla village under the Kamakshynagar area in Dhenakanl district on Thursday morning, the coffin was found draped in a BJD flag near Khuntuni. The matter came to the fore after a picture of the coffin went viral in the social media.
Terming the act as an insult to the martyr, the BJP soon demanded strict action against persons who committed the mistake.
However, the BJD apologised for the act. “BJD has enormous respect towards martyrs. The incident is very unfortunate. The party will certainly find out the persons responsible and take stringent action against them,” said party spokesperson Sasmit Patra.
Notably, the jawan’s body arrived in Bhubaneswar late on Wednesday night. After a guard of honour was given to the jawan in the 120 Infantry Battalion campus here, Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal and many political leaders paid floral tributes to him. Later, the body was taken to his native village.