'Insult To Martyr': Fallen Soldier's Family Refuses To Accept 'Shaurya Chakra' Sent By Post

The family of a soldier who lost his life in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir five years ago has refused to accept the 'Shaurya Chakra' gallantry medal that was sent to them by post to their house in Gujarat, claiming that it is an "insult" to their son, Lance Naik Gopal Singh Bhadoriya.

Bhadoriya's father, Munim Singh, received the "Shaurya Chakra" on September 5, which had been given to his son posthumously in February 2017, after he had died in the line of duty, reported Times Now.

Singh, who resides in Ahmedabad's Bapunagar neighbourhood, demanded that the family receive the nation's third-highest peacetime gallantry medal at a ceremony held in New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan.

What Did The Father Say?

As per The Print, the soldier's father told PTI, looking visibly upset, "The Army can not send the medal through the post. This is not only a violation of protocols but also an insult to a martyr and his family. That is why I have not accepted the parcel containing the medal and returned it saying I can not accept it."

He stated that such recognitions are conferred at a ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 26 or August 15, and the whole country sees the event on TV. If not the President, then a senior Army officer gives the medal to the family, but it should never be delivered by a courier.

Honours Conferred Upon The Soldier

Lance Naik Bhadoriya gave his life at the age of 33. The Shaurya Chakra, the third-highest peacetime gallantry honour after the Ashok Chakra and the Kirti Chakra, was given to the soldier posthumously in 2018.

The "Vishisht Seva Medal" was previously given to him for his participation in a National Security Guard (NSG) commando unit entrusted with clearing the Taj Hotel of terrorists during the Mumbai terror strikes of 26/11.

Long Legal Battle Due To Bhadoriya's Divorce

Since the soldier and his wife divorced in 2011, Munim Singh has been trying to prevent his estranged daughter-in-law from obtaining both the award and his service benefits. In 2018, Singh knocked on the doors of a city civil court.

Even though Bhadoriya and his wife were separated, the court did not issue him a divorce since he could not appear in court owing to his military obligations.

Singh said that in September 2021, they won the legal struggle as the court decided the medal and all other service rewards should be handed over to the soldier's parents, not his estranged wife. The city civil court had put a halt (to the case proceedings), so the medal was not bestowed all these years.

He said, after that, the family told Army officials and the Defense Minister's office about the court verdict and asked them to give the medal and benefits. However, instead of calling them at the ceremony (at the Rashtrapati Bhavan), the medal was sent through the post.

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