Jawan battled Naxals and died,wives fight for compensation

The paramilitary body has asked the women to settle the dispute internally. The women say they will move court. “Both women claim they are entitled to benefits,” said Satbir Singh,CRPF Deputy Commandant at the Central Sector headquarters.

“Bhagwan Dai says she was financially dependent on Ved Pal. Anju Yadav says she has three children and needs the money,” said another official. Ved Pal (48) was with the 62nd Battalion,which lost 43 men in the ambush. A resident of Bareilly and an Army jawan,he had joined the CRPF in 1991.

He married Bhagwan(41) while he was in the Army. The couple had no children and he married Anju (37) in 1990. A year later,he joined the CRPF and made Anju his nominee.

“When the body arrived at his village in Khemungala,locals told me his first wife has come,” Anju said. “I was shocked,since in our 20 years’ marriage I had not heard of another wife. That day,Bhagwan stayed for a few hours and went back. I did not speak to her.”

A couple of days later,she received a call from the CRPF Centre. “I went there and saw Bhagwan again. The DIG asked us to sort out the issue. I tried my best,but she is adamant about not sharing the benefits,” Anju said. She has submitted photographs of her marriage with Ved Pal to the CRPF. “I have three children. If she gets all the money,how will I feed my children? If needed,I will move court.”

The couple’s eldest child,Soni (22),is an undergraduate student. Vishal (18) and Virat (12) are students of Intermediate and Class VI. The family stays in Fareedpur,at a house purchased in 2004,located 3 kms from Ved Pal’s parents’ house.

On her part,Bhagwan Dai says they had married in 1980 and stayed at Ved Pal’s parents’ house. When she came to know of Ved Pal’s second marriage,she applied to the Army demanding a portion of his salary. “Thereafter,Ved Pal left the Army in the middle of his mandatory tenure,” said Bhagwan Dai’s nephew Harinder.

“When CRPF officials asked us to solve the issue through talks,Anju Yadav remained mum. I think we need to move court,” Dai’s brother Harnam Singh,a Railway employee.

Admitting that his son had married twice and Anju knew about her husband’s first marriage,Ved Pal’s father Atraj Singh said: “Bhagwan stayed at my home for eight years. Then she moved to her parents’ house (Palu village,3 kms from Anju’s new house). She did not receive any financial help from Ved Pal,but she was not divorced either.” “I spoke to the women and sent a report to the headquarters,” said DS Chauhan,DIG,CRPF,who is posted at Rampur.