The alleged stoppage of the convoy of six bodies of CRPF jawans, killed in Chhattisgarh, in Patna Airport area for security reasons as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was attending a function nearby created a row here today.
While Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj denied that the vehicles, carring the bodies of the jawans, were stopped, BJP leaders referred to some TV channels' purported footage showing the opposite and criticised the chief minister.
"I have enquired about the event and have been told that the movement of the convoy accompanied by special escort pilots was not stopped," Manu Maharaj told reporters.
Asked about the purported TV footages, the Patna SSP said he had not seen them.
The chief minister was attending the foundation day function of the Bihar Road Development Corporation adjacent to the exit gate of the Airport here.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi dubbed the incident as "unfortunate" and said "the CM should have shown sensitivity in this regard."
Sushil Modi also attacked Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav for "sitting a few distance away, but not visiting the Airport to pay tribute when the bodies of the martyrs had come last evening".
RJD President Lalu Prasad said "the CM is a sensitive man. He must not be knowing about the movement of bodies of the martyrs."
Senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak came down heavily on the saffron party for making the controversy.
"Who does not know how sensitive Nitish Kumar is about such thing. BJP is spinning false stories for petty political gains," Rajak, who is deputy leader in the state Assembly, told PTI.
Rajak was present at the Patna Airport to receive the bodies of the jawans and paid tributes.
Kumar had yesterday expressed grief over killing of 25 CRPF jawans in Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Monday and announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia each to the six soldiers who hailed from Bihar.
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