Body takes up more space in plane: BJP MLA on Indian student killed in Ukraine

BJP MLA Arvind Bellad has stoked a controversy by saying a body takes up more space on a plane and more people could be accommodated in that space while talking about a student who was killed in war-torn Ukraine.

BJP MLA Arvind Bellad has come under fire over his controversial remark saying the delay over bringing back the body of killed Indian student Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagowda was because it takes more space to bring a body in a plane, adding that around eight to 10 people could be accommodated in that space.

He said, "Getting people itself is a difficult task. Getting a body is difficult too. In an aircraft, it takes more space to bring a body. On the same plane, eight to 10 people can be accommodated. These are the challenges, hence it takes time."

Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, a medical student from India, died in Ukraine's Kharkiv city when he went outside his bunker.

According to Srikanth, Naveen left the bunker and went to buy some supplies. "There is a curfew here till 6 am. After 6 am, he went outside to buy some supplies when we were sleeping," Srikanth said, adding that Naveen did not inform them before leaving.