Paramilitary personnel killed in action set to get ‘martyr’ status

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Though the status would not entail any financial benefits for the kin of the martyred personnel, officials said it was being done to boost the morale of the 10 lakh-strong Central forces. It has been decided that “shaheed” will be used in the salutation scroll, read out at the homage ceremony of personnel killed in line of duty.

On an average, at least 350 Central police personnel are killed in line of duty.
In the last Parliament session, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha that the term ‘shaheed’ or ‘martyr’ is not defined “anywhere” and there is no official order to accord the same to defence or paramilitary personnel.

“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 Defence indicated that shaheed/martyr is not defined anywhere and presently they are not issuing any order/notification to this effect in respect of defence 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 Liberalised Pensionary Award rules and lump sum ex-gratia compensation of Rs 15 lakh as per rules in addition to other benefits admissible,” Rijiju said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

A senior official said that though there was no provision for according “shaheed” status, the ministry was issuing an order that would pave the way for it. “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,” said a senior official.

The Central police organizations like CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB and NSG have made representations to the Union Home Ministry that ‘shaheed’ salutation is being demanded by the personnel of these forces.

The Central Reserve Police Force, last year, had, however, issued in-house orders making it mandatory to use ‘shaheed’ before the name of a martyred personnel and in all communications vis-a-vis its slain men and women.