Pb CM upset as Agniveer Amritpal denied guard of honour

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday expressed anguish over the Army not giving a guard of honour during the last rites of Agniveer Amritpal Singh who died in Jammu and Kashmir on October 11.

A row erupted recently over the issue of Amritpal not being accorded a military funeral, with political parties expressing shock over the matter.

The Army, however, issued a statement on Saturday saying since Amritpal Singh’s cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot injury, no guard of honour or military funeral was provided in accordance with the existing policy.

Singh, who was serving with a battalion of the Army’s Jammu and Kashmir Rifles unit in the Poonch sector, was cremated on Friday at his native village in Punjab’s Mansa district.

On Saturday, Mann said his government would raise a strong objection with the Centre over this matter.

Speaking to reporters here a day later, the chief minister said that as per his government’s policy, the slain soldier’s family will be given a compensation of Rs 1 crore.

Expressing displeasure, Mann said the Army sent Amritpal’s body in a private ambulance.

The chief minister asserted that since there was no change in his government’s policy, he would meet with Amritpal’s family on Monday and hand over the cheque.