Row over attendance in soldiers’ funeral

Pune: State sainik welfare director Col Suhas Jatkar (retd) said his office had recommended a government-level inquiry against a district sainik welfare officer for not attending the funeral of two soldiers killed in action in Jammu and Kashmir last year.
Lieutenant Nitin Pande (retd) was holding the sainik welfare officer's post in Akola, where the final rites of the two soldiers was performed. He was also holding the additional charge of the sainik welfare office in Chandrapur then, where he is now posted full time.

Jatkar said it was mandatory for the district sainik welfare officers to attend the funeral of soldiers, who die in action, and provide timely monetary assistance to their families for funeral expenses.

Pande alleged that the Pune-based Sainik Welfare Directorate's recommendation of inquiry against him was a deliberate attempt to malign his image as he had raised certain issues related to the department in the past.

He said, "I have given an elaborate explanation to the department regarding this matter. The funeral took place in Akola and I was in Chandrapur then. Travelling over 400km to Akola was not possible. Hence, I could not attend the funeral. But I had ensured that my staffers provided all the assistance to the families. Monetary help is given only after completing the requisite procedures."

The directorate had launched an internal inquiry after a retired soldier, Ramratan Budukle, the secretary of Amar Jawan Ex-servicemen Organisation in Akola, had complained that Pande did not attend the funeral rites of the two soldiers.

Budukle told TOI over phone, "It was the primary duty of the sainik welfare officer to attend the funeral and help the families of the deceased. We took up this issue with the local MLA, demanding action against the officer. The MLA raised the issue in the winter session of the state legislature. Subsequently, explanation was sought from the sainik welfare department."