Personnel of the Central Police organizations killed in action to get martyr status

By NewsGram Staff Writer

The Home Ministry recently announced that any personnel from the Central police organizations, losing his life while fighting with Naxals or insurgents in the region of Northeast or Jammu and Kashmir, will get the title of "martyr".

Central police organizations have finally got a clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a long pending proposal to give the title of "shaheed" to all those who died in action.

Earlier no such scheme existed for Central police personnel deployed in areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), along the Pakistan border, in insurgency-hit J&K as well as in the North-East, whereas the Army gives this status to its men killed on the border.

The officials said, "The status will not provide any kind of financial benefit to the personal, but boost the morale of the 10 lakh-strong Central forces."

It has been decided that "shaheed" will be used in the salutation scroll to be read at the homage ceremony of the personal killed on duty.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, had informed the Lok Sabha that 'shaheed' or 'martyr' is not defined as per the region where you are killed or whether you are in police or military and there is no official order to accord the same to defense or paramilitary personnel.

While explaining the importance of calling the dead soldiers as "martyr", Rijiju said, "There have been demands for giving shaheed/martyr status to the Central police organizations and Assam Rifles personnel killed in action. In a meeting of Committee of Secretaries held on September 14, 2011, the Ministry of Defense indicated that shaheed/martyr is not defined anywhere and presently they are not issuing any order/notification to this effect in respect of defense personnel."

"Similarly, no status of shaheed/martyr is given to the Central police and Assam Rifles. However, their families/next of kin are given full family pension under the Liberalized Pensionary Award rules and lump sum ex-gratia compensation of Rs 15 lakh as per rules in addition to other benefits admissible," he added.

A senior official elucidating the emotional aspect attached with the title "shaheed" said, "Since it does not involve any financial implications, keeping in mind the sentiments of the forces, it was decided to give them a go-ahead. On several occasions, various state governments give benefits like petrol pumps, land to personnel on the basis of the shaheed status. It becomes easier for the kin of the killed personnel to avail the benefits as the scroll is an official document."