Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

The Supreme Court has upheld a landmark decision of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) that had granted a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the widow of a soldier who had died in 1998 while in service due to alleged negligence on part of the Army authorities in handling his medical case.

The tribunal’s Chandigarh Bench, then comprising Justice Ghanshyam Prashad and Lt Gen HS Panag, had in 2011 ruled that callousness towards human life would not be tolerated and had granted the widow, Navindra Devi, Special Family Pension along with monetary compensation.

The petitioner’s husband had been posted near Bikaner when he developed psychiatric problems for which he was given electric shocks at a civil hospital. Thereafter, he was sent on leave to recuperate. A few days after returning from leave, the psychiatrically ill solider wandered out of the unit and went missing.

He was found near the Delhi Railway Station by the Government Railway Police, who requested the Army authorities to take him back. However, rather than sending a team to bring him back, his unit and military authorities in Delhi kept exchanging letters and shifting the onus on each other.

While the correspondence continued, the railway police let go of him when no one came to take him. His body was recovered the next day from a well.

The AFT had observed that there was negligence in handling the issue since no care was taken to keep the soldier under medical supervision and then to bring him back from the police. The AFT also observed that a court of inquiry was not held which was mandatory under rules and it was held 11 years after the death on judicial intervention. The Army had challenged the AFT’s order, but the apex court has dismissed the appeal and directed the government to release the amount to the aggrieved widow within eight weeks.

The case

• The petitioner’s husband, posted near Bikaner, developed psychiatric problems and was sent on leave. After returning, he wandered out of the unit
• He was found near the Delhi Railway Station by the police, who requested the Army authorities to take him back
• However, his unit and military authorities in Delhi kept on shifting the onus on each other. The police let him go. The soldier was found dead in a well a day later

Chandigarh, December 12

A war decorated Israeli General, who had cut short his honeymoon in Nepal, to answer a call to arms would be participating in the Military Literature Festival and talking about his battle experiences.

Then a Lieutenant Colonel during the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, Maj Gen Yosi Ben-Hannan was awarded the Medal of Courage, Israel’s second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. This is for the first time that an Israeli military officer would be speaking at the festival.

In 1973, while on his honeymoon in Nepal, Ben Hannan heard of the outbreak of the war and returned to Israel and proceeded to the Golan Heights where he participated in fierce fighting with the Syrians. He was wounded but refused to be evacuated and continued fighting. According to available excerpts of the battle, on October 9, Ben-Hannan took command of a scratch force of Israeli tanks that had been put together from the remnants of the decimated 188th Armored Brigade. — TNS

Photo for representational purpose only. Thinkstock

New Delhi, December 9

The government has approved admission of girl students in five Sainik schools for the academic session 2020-21 after a pilot project and now decided to admit girls in all 31 Sainik schools in the country for which a time-bound action plan will be implemented, the Rajya Sabha was told on Monday.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik said during Question Hour that the government has approved admission of girls in five Sainik Schools—Kalikiri (Andhra Pradesh), Kodagu (Karnataka), Ghorakhal (Uttarakhand), Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Bijapur (Karnataka) for the academic session 2020-21.

“The pilot project for admission of girl children in Sainik School, Chhingchhip (Mizoram) was started in the academic session 2018-19. After its success, the Government has decided to implement admission of girl children in other Sainik Schools,” Naik said.

In reply to a supplementary, the minister said girls will be admitted in “all 31 Sainik Schools” and for this a “time-bound action will be taken.”

In reply to another supplementary, Naik said the government has made a provision of 10 per cent reservation for girls in such schools.

In reply to another query, the minister said that if any state felt the need for Sainik schools they can send the proposal to the Centre. PTI

Chandigarh, December 12

Terming the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) as a direct assault on India’s secular character, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday said his government would not allow the legislation to be implemented in his state.

Asserting his commitment to the protection of the Constitutional ethos of the country, Capt Amarinder said the Congress, which had a majority in the state Assembly, would block the “unconstitutional Bill” in the House.

His government, on its part, would not let the legislation rip apart the secular fabric of the country, whose strength lies in its diversity, said the Chief Minister, a day after the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha. “Parliament has no authority to pass a law that defiled the Constitution and violates its basic principles and fundamental rights of the people,” said the Chief Minister, declaring CAB to be “null and void” on account of the fact that it was against the tenets and values contained in the Constitution. — TNS

Photo for representation.

New Delhi, December 9

A Bill providing a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for manufacturing and carrying illegal arms was approved by Lok Sabha on Monday.

Piloted by Home Minister Amit Shah, the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019 also ensures that those using firearms in a rash or negligent manner in celebratory gunfire, endangering human life or personal safety of others, shall be punishable with an imprisonment to two years or with fine which may extend to Rs one lakh or with both.

The Bill was passed by the Lower House after rejecting several amendments moved by the Opposition members.

Replying to a nearly three-hour debate, Shah said the Bill has been brought as a requirement to significantly impose weapons control in the country.

The Home Minister said that the Bill has accorded special status to sportsperson who need firearms and ammunition for practice and participating in tournaments.

“They (sportspersons) will be entitled to get licences for different types of firearms,” Shah added.

Under the proposed provision, a person can have a maximum of two firearms, as against the present norm of three, he added.

“Many suggestions came including keeping two firearms by an individual. I have moved official amendment in this regard also,” he said.

As per the Bill, those who own more than two firearms will have to deposit the third one with authorities or authorised gun dealers within 90 days for de-licensing once the amendment is approved by Parliament.

“There were many discrepancies in the six-decade-old law making crime control difficult,” he said.

Shah said there is a provision for life imprisonment for those who snatch or loot arms and ammunition from police or defence forces.

The Bill seeks to enhance punishment for illegally possessing and making prohibited arms, besides other changes in the six-decade-old Arms Act.

As per the Bill, the government proposes to amend Section 25 (1AA) of the Arms Act, 1959, to give punishment from the usual life term of 14 years to “imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s life” for manufacturing, selling, repairing and possessing “prohibited” arms.

The minimum punishment under this section will be 14 years.

Under the present law, the offence invites imprisonment of not less than seven years but may extend to life imprisonment—mostly up to 14 years.

According to an estimate, India has a total of around 35 lakh gun licences. Thirteen lakh people have licences to carry weapons in Uttar Pradesh, followed by militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, where 3.7 lakh people possess arms licences, most of which were taken in the name of personal security.

Punjab, which witnessed terrorism in 1980s and 1990s, has around 3.6 lakh active gun licences, most of which were issued during the two decades of strife. — PTI

Shimla, December 12

Governor Bandaru Dattatreya today visited ARTRAC, its waste paper recycling plant and vocational training centre here. He lauded the Army for running these ventures to protect environment.

The Governor interacted with Army personnel posted there. Chief of Staff Lt General Atul Solanki apprised him of the working of ARTRAC.

“The Army is capable of handling every situation. The country is proud of the brave soldiers,” he added.

Later, he also visited the waste paper recycling plant at Summerhill. The plant was set up in 2013 and ensures productive use of waste paper.

The Governor said the soldiers were doing a great work. Such efforts should be made by others too. in

He also visited the vocational training centre of the Army, where training in computer operation, sewing, weaving and cooking is imparted. — TNS

The MeT official said the night temperature is likely to improve in the coming days. Tribune file

Jammu, December 7

The night temperature continued to trend downward in Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh as Drass remained the coldest place in the region recording minus 25.4 degrees Celsius, a Meteorological Department official said on Saturday.

Srinagar experienced its coldest night in the season so far with the mercury falling 0.6 degree Celsius to settle at a low of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal.

The MeT official said the night temperature is likely to improve in the coming days due to a western disturbance which is likely to hit the two Union Territories on Wednesday, bringing another spell of snow and rains.

He said Drass in Kargil district of Ladakh was the coldest recorded place in the region with a night temperature of minus 25.4 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s 24.3 degrees Celsius.

Leh town, also in Ladakh, was reeling at a minimum of 15.9 degrees Celsius, the official added.

Foggy conditions engulfed most parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, as the Sun remained hidden behind the clouds in the morning, the official said.

He said the minimum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir’s winter capital Jammu marked a slight dip and settled at 8.5 degrees Celsius, two notches below season’s average.

Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the Valley with a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius followed by the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Katra, which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu region, recorded a low of 8.7 degrees Celsius, the official said, adding Bhadarwah township of Doda district was, however, the coldest recorded place in the region with a minimum of 1.4 degrees Celsius.

Director of the Meteorological Department, Sonam Lotus said the night temperature is expected to improve from Monday night ahead of a fresh spell of widespread moderate snow or rain in the plains of Jammu and Kashmir and Kargil district of Ladakh from December 11 to 13 with main activity on December 12.

However, there will be a dip in the day temperature during the wet spell which is also likely to impact surface and air transportation on Thursday in view of heavy to very heavy snow in the higher reaches of Pirpanjal, Zojilla Pass, Zanskar, Banihal top and Mughal road, he said. PTI