Army Chief General Bikram Singh has extended support to the family of Kargil hero Captain Saurabh Kalia who was allegedly tortured to death by Pakistan after his capture in the 1999 Kargil war.
General Singh stated that the Army had raised its concerns with the Ministry of Defence, and would support Capt. Kalia’s parents’ plea to the government to take up the case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague.
‘He was a brave soldier’
Speaking at the National Defence Academy’s (NDA) passing out parade here on Thursday, Gen. Singh said, “He [Capt. Kalia] was a brave soldier. He made the ultimate sacrifice for the country in the Kargil war. We have shown our concerns to the Ministry of Defence and the National Human Rights Commission. We fully support the family.”
Earlier this week, Dr. N.K. Kalia, father of Capt. Kalia, moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Central government to take up his son’s case with the ICJ.
Not in our jurisdiction: Tribunal
According to newspaper reports, the Armed Forces Tribunal had dismissed his case on the grounds that the case did not come under its jurisdiction.
Dr. Kalia had earlier stated he was compelled to move the court because no action was taken for 13 years.
Capt. Kalia and five other men were captured and killed by Pakistani intruders during the Kargil war.
While the bodies were returned, a post-mortem revealed that the men had been tortured.
