In a heartfelt tribute to the indomitable spirit and sacrifice of armed forces personnel, the Kejriwal government announced an ex-gratia of ₹1 crore to the families of six deceased personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty. The decision was made following a recent Group of Ministers meeting where the names of these Bravehearts individuals were recommended for significant recognition. The ex-gratia amount was promptly approved by CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal.
It is to be noted that since 2016, the Kejriwal government has been steadfast in its commitment to honouring the service of those personnel who make the ultimate sacrifice in the course of their bonafide official duties. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on the families left behind and ensure they can continue living with dignity.
During this, Revenue Minister Atishi emphasized the Kejriwal government’s unwavering dedication to the welfare of the families of heroes, stating, “Our armed forces personnel, whether from Defence, Delhi Police, ParaMilitary, Delhi Fire Service, Home Guard, or Civil Defence Volunteer, exemplify unparalleled courage and commitment. The sacrifice they make for the nation is immeasurable, and it is our duty to stand by their families during these trying times.”
Minister Atishi further highlighted the broader scope of the scheme, emphasizing its inclusive nature, “This ex-gratia scheme covers personnel from various branches, ensuring that the families of those who dedicate their lives to protecting people are supported and cared for. We believe in providing a safety net that allows them to face the future with resilience and dignity.”
Of these 6 deceased soldiers, there are 2 soldiers from the Indian Army, 2 from Delhi Police, 1 from Delhi Civil Defence, and 1 from Delhi Fire Services. Under this plan to honor these personnel, the Delhi government provides an honorarium amount of ₹1 crore to the families of all uniformed personnel, residing in Delhi or deployed on duty in Delhi, who showed bravery and lost their lives during duty.
The families of these six deceased personnel are to be awarded with ex gratia of ₹1 crore
- ASI Om Prakash
ASI Om Prakash was deployed at the Okhla Industrial Area Police Station. On the day of the incident, he was on picket duty at C-Lal Chowk. When he, along with his colleague, was inspecting vehicles at the checkpoint, around 11:45 AM, they saw three people approaching on a motorcycle. When he attempted to stop the motorcycle for violating the rules, the motorcycle hit him. Due to the high speed of the motorcycle, the collision caused ASI Om Prakash to fall, and his head hit the road. He sustained serious injuries and was taken to AIIMS for treatment. After receiving medical attention for some time, he succumbed to his injuries.
- Major Raghunath
Major Raghunath, a resident of Dwarka, was part of the 3rd Battalion of the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment (Special Forces). Based on confidential information from agencies about a potential infiltration, on May 5, 2022, a joint search operation was initiated by him in Sukhdaar, Jammu and Kashmir. Around 10:45 AM, the weather deteriorated with thick fog and rain, and during this period, Major Raghunath, while manoeuvring through a risky area near the line of control, slipped and fell into the Salamabad Nala with a serious head injury. The rescue team rushed him to the nearby hospital but was declared dead. He lost his life while being in the line of duty.
- Puneet Gupta, Civil Defence Volunteer
Shri Puneet Gupta, a resident of Pandav Nagar, was assigned to the Transportation Department and was on field duty on the day of the incident. While inspecting vehicles, at around 12:40 AM, he noticed a truck approaching in a zigzag manner from the Dhasa side. Puneet Gupta signaled the truck to stop, but instead of stopping, the truck collided with him. He fell and was run over by the truck. Immediately after the incident, he was taken to the nearest hospital in an unconscious state, but he was declared dead shortly thereafter.
- Praveen Kumar, Fire Operator
Praveen Kumar was deputed at Bhorgarh Fire Station. A fire incident was reported in a disposable plate manufacturing factory at H-Block, near CISF Camp. During the firefighting building, the rear side of the building collapsed resulting in burn injuries to firefighters including Praveen Kumar. He was rushed and admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital but succumbed to injuries during treatment due to Septicemic shock following burn injuries.
- ASI Radhe Shyam
ASI Radhe Shyam was deputed to the Traffic Police Unit of Delhi Police at Burari Circle. He was designated for duty on Outer Ring Road, Opposite ITI Dheerpur, Delhi. At about 4 pm he along with other staff detailed about traffic regulation and prosecution duty. During duty, ASI Radhey Shyam noticed a truck coming from the Wazirabad side to Mukarba Chowk. The driver of the truck was plying truck in the middle of the road and not in the proper lane. ASI Radhey Shyam signaled the truck to stop, but as soon as the truck pushed the brakes, it got hit by another truck coming on the road. ASI Radhey Shyam got hit in this incident and was injured severely. He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead.
- Captain Jayant Joshi
Captain Jayant Joshi was deployed in the Indian Army’s 254 Army Avn Squadron (ALH). On August 3, 2021, Captain Jayant Joshi was appointed as the co-pilot for a helicopter sortie during a practice session. Unfortunately, during the exercise, his helicopter crash-landed in the Ranjit Sagar Dam. Captain Jayant Joshi lost his life in the incident.
