Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to honor families of slain security forces, police personnel in Jammu

This is for the first time that families of all slain security personnel and policemen in J&K since 1947 will be honoured in a function

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and RSS national general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will be visiting Jammu on July 24 to honour families of security forces and police personnel, who were killed in the line of duty since 1947.

The function is reportedly being organised by Jammu and Kashmir People’s Forum (JKPF), a social organisation, which is indirectly linked to the RSS. Senior BJP and RSS leaders from Jammu are expected to be present at the function. It will be organised at Gulshan Ground, Jammu and all arrangements for the function have been finalised.

This is for the first time that families of all slain security personnel and policemen in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947 will be honoured in a function. “The organisers have identified all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the nation and J&K and they number more than 2,000. The kin of all of them have been invited to the function and will be honoured,” sources said.

They said that since the number of families is big, the next of kin of slain personnel will be honoured in groups.

This will be defence minister’s second visit to Jammu in over a month. He had visited Jammu on June 17 on the occasion of the 200th year of coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh.

A proposal has reportedly gone to the defence minister to join the function on Kargil Victory Day celebrations at Drass in the Union Territory of Ladakh from July 24-26. Visit of Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande to Drass is also not ruled out though there has been no confirmation so far.