Martyr Rakesk Kumar’s family to return Navy Gallantry Award

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : The family of martyr Rakesh Kumar is yet to receive Rs 7 lakh announced by the Government of India after his death in Goa on June 10, 2016, while rescuing his colleagues trapped in gas leakage on INS Vikramaditya at Karwar in Goa. Upset with the apathetic attitude of the government, Rakesh Kumar’s family members have decided to return the Navy Gallantry Award conferred on him after his death.

Rakesh Kumar, son of Patel Kumar of village Kolhrampur under Barhara police station in Bhojpur district, had joined the India Navy on January 2, 2012, at Chilka in Odisha. He was promoted to SWA4 Officer Apprentice and was posted at INS Vikramaditya at Karwar in Goa. On June 10, 2016, sudden gas leakage on the ship. Two navy personnel died including Rakesh Kumar in the incident. Before his death, Rakesh Kumar rescued two of his crew members but died due to suffocation while trying to save third one.

The Government India awarded him Navy Gallantry Award posthumously and announced Rs 7 lakh to his family members besides promising several other facilities. His father Patel Kumar, who was shattered due to the death of his, breathed his last within a month. Ara BJP MP and now Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh had promised help to the family members of the martyr but nothing has so far been done even after two years. Neither any  representative of the Government India nor the local MP Raj Kumar Singh has visited Kolhrampur so far.

Rakesh’s mother Dewanti Devi and sister Radha on April 20, 2018, said that they and their family members were on the verge of starvation but are very proud of Rakesh Kumar who died for the cause of the country. They said that upset with indifferent attitude of the Government, the family has decided to return the Navy Gallantry Award conferred on Rakesh after his death.