RTI prompts MoD to seek report on Kargil martyr's widow's death

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked for a report from the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare regarding the death of a Kargil war hero’s widow after a hospital in Sonipat allegedly refused her treatment, insisting on Aadhaar card.

The action was initiated after a Navy veteran, Commodore Lokesh Batra, flagged the issue to the MoD as a follow up to his query under the Right to Information Act (RTI) regarding “non-compliance” of Supreme Court’s order on extending mandatory linking of Aadhaar for all schemes. He wanted to know the status of the Ex-Serviceman Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).

“Even after two weeks of SC directions on such an important issue, there is nothing in the public domain or say on websites of MoD & ECHS to indicate us the compliance of Hon’ble SC Order of December 15, 2017,” he wrote in his application.

Following the death of the Kargil martyr’s widow he wrote to MoD again on January 1, 2018

“Regrettably, the day I should be exchanging greetings of the new year with you all; the circumstance are compelling me to request you to intimate me the MoD’s  decision on this issue raised on 15.12.2017 and subsequent reminds last being of 30.12.2017,”  wrote in his communication.

Shakuntala Devi (55), widow of Kargil war martyr Havaldar Laxman Dass died in a private hospital in Sonipat, Haryana on Thursday for want of medical care at a private hospital as it insisted on having the patient’s Aadhaar card,” her son Pawan Kumar Balyan had claimed.

The hospital had denied the allegation and said they wanted to treat the woman but the family took her away.

Dass  was posted with the 8th Jat Regiment in Muskoh valley near Kargil when he died of bullet injuries during a gun battle with intruders on June 9, 1999.