More than a year after an Indian Air Force helicopter crashed during rescue operations in Kedar Valley, kin of three Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel from Uttarakhand who were killed in the crash, await the financial assistance promised by the BJP. On June 25 last year, nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, six from the ITBP personnel, and five from the IAF, were killed when an IAF helicopter crashed in the Kedar Valley during the rescue operations.
The then BJP chief Rajnath Singh announced that the BJP would give financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each to the kin of those killed. However, the families of the three ITBP personnel are yet to receive the amount. Ramesh Ram, who was the elder brother of Nand Ram – a constable in the ITBP who was killed – said, “Soon after the crash we were told that we would be receiving Rs. 5 lakh. But, we haven’t received any amount yet.”
The kin of Jayendra Prasad Bhatt, who was among the victims, said their “continuous requests” were being ignored by the State BJP.
Mr. Bhatt’s wife, Sheela Bhatt, said, “In October, last year, we were told that the bank drafts had been received and we would be given the money by Narendra Modi in December, during his visit to Dehradun for the election campaign.”
However, the kin of the three personnel did not get any money.
