Protest at Nowshera: Army & Civil Adm to compensate deceased porter’s family.

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD 

RAJOURI MARCH 07:–After a large-scale protest by the people of Jhangar, Sarya and joined by thhe ex-sarpanches/panches and prominent social & political leaders of Nowshera town, the Army has accepted that the person killed in mine explosion along LoC on Wednesday was a regular porter working with Jhangar Bn along with other 59 persons of the area.
The deceased has been identified as Rajesh Kumar s/o Sethi Ram resident of Sarya.
The decision was taken in a meeting between Commander Nowshera Brigade, an 11-member action committee, and joined by Additional DC Nowshera, Tehsildar & SHO.
The army has also agreed to provide financial assistance (as per service rules) of about Rs 33 lakh (for remaining service), free education to deceased’s 3 years old son upto 12th class in an Army Goodwill School, SPO job with J&K police to the wife (if she agrees) & creation of Smarak in memory of deceased at Bakshi Mohalla Sarya.
It is pertinent to mention here that Rajesh Kumar while on way to forward post, received fatal splinter injuries in the explosion after inadvertently stepping on a landmine, which might have come out on the foot-track due to recent heavy rains along the Line of Control (LoC).
But according to protesters; led by Sunil Choudhary, Bindu Choudhary, Purshotam Lal & others, initially the Army refused to own Rajesh as a porter.
This led to great resentment among the people and on Thursday a large-scale protest demonstration was held in Nowshera town.
With the intervention of civil administration, Brigade Commander agreed to hold a meeting with the 11-member action committee, Nowshera civil/police administration and finally the Army accepted that the deceased Rajesh was a porter.
Both army & civil administration agreed for financial assistance, SPO job to wife, free education to minor son up to 12th class.
Later the police handed over the body to family after medico-legal formalities for his last rites.