Indian Express

Akhilesh visits slain jawans’ villages, assures ‘all help’

Express news service Posted online: Sat Jan 26 2013, 04:47 hrs
Allahabad : Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday met the families of slain CRPF personnel Babu Lal Patel and Army jawan Subhash Yadav at their native villages in Allahabad and Pratapgarh, respectively, and handed over cheques of Rs 20 lakh to each of the families.

The Chief Minister reached Shivlal Ka Pura village in Kaurihar, 40 kilometres from Allahabad, and assured the family of Babu Lal Patel that all “assistance” will be provided by the government.

“We are proud that a brave son of Uttar Pradesh has laid down his life for protecting the country. However, it is very painful to see somebody dying so young. It is a huge loss to his family which can never be fully compensated. But the government will certainly extend all possible help,” he told the waiting media after meeting the family and paying tributes to the martyr.

Patel was killed in an encounter with Naxals in Latehaar area of Jharkhand on January 7. The naxals had planted an explosive device in his body.

Akhilesh said the soldiers were being forced to fight not only the threats from across the borders but also from within and wanted “the Centre to act tough with Naxals”.

Earlier, the family members of slain CPRF jawan had gone on a hungerstrike demanding to meet the CM. On January 20, the District Magistrate of Allahabad had assured them that the CM will visit them.

Earlier in the day, the CM’s visited Kunda in Pratapgarh, where he met the family members of Army jawan Subhash Yadav, who died of asphyxiation at a forward post in Nowgam section at Barmullah along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir district on January 18.