NEW DELHI: Parents of martyred Captain Angshuman Singh have urged revisions in Indian Army’s ‘next of kin’ (NOK) policy soon after their son was awarded the posthumous Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry honor.
According to the policy, financial aid is granted to family members in case of an army personnel's death.
In an interview with TV9 Bharatvarsh, Ravi Pratap Singh and Manju Singh, the late captain’s parents, expressed their concerns. They said that the NOK rules need to be ‘revisited’ as their daughter in law, Smriti Singh receives most of the entitlements, but does not reside with them anymore following Angshuman Singh’s death.
Captain Anshuman Singh, who was on duty, tragically lost his life in a fire incident in Siachen in July of last year.
“The criteria set for NOK is not correct. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding this. Anshuman's wife does not live with us now…their marriage was only five months old and they have no child. Though we are the co-recipients of his Kirti Chakra, we only have our son's photo hanging on the wall with a garland on it,” Ravi Pratap Singh told the news channel TV9 Bharatvarsh.
“Hence, we want NOK's definition to be fixed. It should be decided that the martyr's wife must stay with his family, who now has much dependency,” he added.
Meanwhile, Manju Singh stated that they are seeking changes in the NOK policy as they don't want other parents to suffer like them.
According to the ‘next of kin’ policy, when a person joins the army, his parents or guardians' names are registered as his 'next of kin,' or closest relatives. When a cadet or officer marries, the spouse replaces his parents on the NOK record.
ALSO WATCH: