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Soldiers

Special Pension for Widow: Armed Forces Tribunal Attributes Soldier's Suicide to Military Service

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has granted a special family pension to the widow of a soldier who took his own life on the day of 'Vijay Divas' in 2018, declaring that there was no evidence of personal problems in his life. The tribunal's decision comes after a thorough examination of all records and witnesses, including the court of inquiry (COI) that found his death attributable to military service. The soldier, a Naik with the Maratha Light Infantry, had served in the Army for 13 years and allegedly shot himself with a service rifle while being posted at a training unit in Assam.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) granted a special family pension to the widow of a soldier who took his own life on the day of 'Vijay Divas' in 2018.
  • The tribunal found no evidence of personal problems in the soldier's life, attributing his death to military service factors.
  • The soldier, a Naik with the Maratha Light Infantry, had served in the Army for 13 years and was posted at a training unit in Assam.
  • The court of inquiry (COI) declared the soldier's death attributable to military duty, with both the Station Commander and GOC concurring.
  • The AFT noted the significance of the COI's decision, which established that service factors were responsible for the soldier's death.
  • The widow argued that she was entitled to special family pension, citing the COI's opinion and the concurring decisions of the Station Commander and GOC.
  • The AFT's decision recognizes the challenges faced by the widow, who struggles to bring up their two children since her husband's death.
  • The ordinary monthly family pension of Rs 19,475 was not sufficient to support the widow and her children, serving as a further incentive for the special family pension award.

Statistics:

  • The soldier had served in the Army for 13 years before his death.
  • The soldier was a Naik with the Maratha Light Infantry.
  • The ordinary monthly family pension of Rs 19,475 was awarded to the widow, although it would be reduced to Rs 11,685 per month after Dec 17, 2028.
  • The AFT granted a special family pension to the widow, recognizing the impact of military service factors on the soldier's death.
  • The soldier allegedly shot himself with a service rifle on the day of 'Vijay Divas' in 2018.

Sources:

  • The Times of India article (headline and content provided).
  • www.toi.com (referenced full report).
  • Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Mumbai bench decision (not explicitly dated, but mentioned in the article).

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