SAS Nagar, October 13- Thanks to the efforts of X Servicemen's Grievances Cell, the 75-year-old widow of an ex-serviceman got justice after 50 years of struggle and was issued double family pension by the army.
In this regard, during a press conference today, the president of the X Servicemen Grievance Cell, Lt. Col. S.S. Sohi (retired) said that in 1971, Sr. who had fought for the country. Sepoy Sham Singh's widow Karnail Kaur has got double family pension after 50 years of struggle. Colonel Sohi said that the late Sepoy Sham Singh, a resident of village Khanpur Khadar, Teh. Banur, Mohali Joined the Army (Sikh Regiment) on 10.2.1966 and was medically discharged on 21.1.1973 with 20 per cent disability pension.
He said that Sham Singh participated in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 (3.12.71 to 16.12.71) in the Poonch sector (Jammu and Kashmir) and during the war, on 9.12.71, a bomb came from the enemy side. One of his eyes was damaged due to the wrapping. He said that Sepoy Sham Singh was admitted to Military Hospitals in Rajouri and Jammu for treatment, from where he was given lower medical category BEE (P), hence, he was diagnosed with chronic trachoma and released with 20% disability pension by Medical Board (R). MB) faced and was expelled on 21.1.1973. He stated that when his case reached the Medical Adviser Pension (MAP) in CDA (P) Allahabad, it was rejected on 24.5.1973. After the army, Sepoy Sham Singh took a civil, peon job and got a pension of Rs 8000/- to support his family.
Colonel Sohi said that after his organization sent some letters to various levels, his organization filed Sepoy Sham Singh's case at Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Chandigarh on 2476/2017. Colonel Sohi said that the point of discussion in court was that it was an eye disease and not a war injury. He said that RN Ojha, counsel for the institute, proved in the court that the injury was sustained on 9.12.71 during the war, hence the said soldier is entitled to pension for 'war accident'.
He said that the court agreed to this and ordered the release of 'liberalisation pension' from 2014 within 3 months and 8 per cent interest. Since, Sepoy Sham Singh died on 19.5.2021, now his widow Karnail Kaur will get double family pension (Rs. 16000 +8000 per month) along with other facilities like free medical and CSD canteen services along with arrears.