In Rohtak, another martyr’s family awaits compensation

ROHTAK: More than three months after his death, family of slain Border Security Force (BSF ) head constable, Rai Singh Indora, still awaits the ex gratia that the Haryana government had promised it.

Indora, 39, was killed in mortar shelling by Pakistan in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir last year. He was the third soldier from Haryana to have been killed after India carried out surgical strikes across the LoC.

Indora is survived by his wife, a homemaker, and three school-going children.

“Since his death, the family income has come to a standstill, but expenses remain the same. We have not been given anything by the government so far and are now dependent on our relatives,” said his wife Sunita.

The state government had announced ₹50 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of BSF jawan Sushil Kumar, who was killed in October last year by shelling from Pakistan.

However, at Indora’s cremation, the state government announced only ₹20 lakh and a job to next of kin.

Unhappy with the disparity, villagers had blocked NH-10 and demanded equal compensation for his family. The government subsequently agreed. But, the family has still received nothing.

“We requested the government to give a job to our eldest son. But, he is 16. The DC promised he will get a job when he turns 18. Till then, we have no source of income,” Sunita added.

Indora’s elder brother Ramesh, a retired BSF jawan, said he has been touring government offices to know about the compensation, but has been left dry with false promises.

“The DC always says that we will get it within one week. But things haven’t changed. Even his pension has not yet been approved,” said Ramesh.

When asked about the matter, Rohtak DC Atul Kumar said he will remind the government about it. “All the completed paper work has been sent to the OSD to the chief minister. I will remind them tomorrow morning to fast-track the case,” Kumar said.