Ex-Armymen get benefits on par with CRPF martyrs

Indian Military Veterans

There is positive step taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs towards former armed forces personnel working on contractual basis with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The government has approved the grant of ex-gratia compensation to the families of two ex-Armymen, Inspector Tilak Raj Singh and Head Constable Lakhbir Singh, who were killed in action while on contractual assignment with the CRPF. The compensation is at par with the CRPF personnel killed in action. The two ex-servicemen ahd been killed along with nine CRPF personnel in an ambush by the Naxalites in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh in March. While the families of the CRPF martyrs were paid Rs 15 lakh each as ex-gratia, the two ex-Servicemen were, however, not entitled to such benefits. On perusal of the case, the MHA approved payment of equal ex-gratia to the families of the ex-servicemen on the grounds that they were performing the same active duties like the CRPF personnel.

Two NCC cadets die from snakebite at camp

Tragedy struck the National Cadet Corps (NCC) when two cadets died while attending a training camp at Sirohi in Rajasthan last week. According to sources, they were bitten by a snake. The incident had taken place on the first floor of a school building where the camp was being conducted. A court of inquiry to investigate the incident and determine whether there had been any lapses in safety has been ordered. NCC Additional Director General, Maj Gen Sumedh Kumar is the COI’s presiding officer with a brigadier and a colonel as its members.

Lions fly past 51st milestone

The IAF’s No.31 Squadron turned 51 on September 1. Raised with French Mystere fighters at Pathankot in 1963, the squadron, known as the Lions were tasked to attack enemy armoured columns during Pakistani offensive in the Chhamb Sector in 1965. Rocket attacks were carried out on tank concentrations at Troti and Chhamb, besides straffing Pakistani positions at Jaurian. In the following days, the Lions also conducted recce ops and attacked Pakistani trains ferrying tanks as well as artillery concentrations. The then Commanding Officer, Wing Commander WM Goodman was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra. The squadron was extensively employed in the ground attack role in support of the Army on the western front in 1971. The Squadron was resurrected on January 1 2009 at Air Force Station, Pune and requipped with the Su-30 MKI.

Gunners of 51 Mountain Regiment remember old times

Officers who had served in 51 Mountain Regiment along with their wives at a get-together in Chandigarh.

Old timers from the Regiment of Artillery’s 51 Mountain Regiment, now known as 51 Medium Regiment, held their annual get together in Chandigarh this week, reviving old memories and reigniting regimental bonds. The unit was raised in Assam in 1961 and son after saw action in the Twang Sector during the 1962 conflict. Then still without its guns, it was deployed in an infantry outfit and used for recce and observation. After remaining on the eastern frontier during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, it moved west and saw intense action in the 1971 Indo-Pak war along the Uri-Tangdhar axis in Jammu and Kashmir. A number of officers residing in the region attended the event. Among them were Maj Gen KS Bajwa, Col Eshar Singh, Lt Col Jagga and Lt Col Gurdev Singh, who were among the unit’s founding officers. .

Air Marshal Sinha takes sortie in Tejas

The Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal SBP Sinha, became the highest ranking IAF officer to get a first hand experience of flying the indigenous Tejas aircraft, when he undertook a sortie in a trainer version at Bangalore this week. The Air Marshal was on a two-day visit to the Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, during which he reviewed various aspects of the Tejas programme.

— Vijay Mohan