Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao announces Rs five crore for Col Santosh Babu's family and other benefits

Says despite COVID-19 pandemic, spending on welfare of our defence forces should be a priority to instill confidence

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced a Rs five crore compensation for the family Colonel Bikkumalla Santosh Babu, besides a residential plot and a Group-1 job for his wife Santoshi.

Babu, the commanding officer of the 16th Bihar Regiment, died along with 19 others on Monday night in a violent clash with the Chinese troops, along the LAC in Ladakh.

Rao has also announced that his government would give Rs 10 lakh each to the 19 martyred soldiers through the union defence ministry.

“We would extend all help to the family of Col Santosh Babu who martyred in the clashes with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley. I would personally visit his family house and hand over the aid,” the CM said on Friday.

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Colonel Babu’s last rites were conducted with full military honours on Thursday morning, in his farm at Kesaram close to his hometown Suryapet in Telangana.

Babu leaves behind his parents Bikkumalla Upendar and Manjula, wife Santoshi and kids Abhignya (8) and Anirudh (4).

“The entire nation should stand by the military personnel guarding our country’s borders. We have to support those martyred in their line of duty by helping the personnel’s family members. With such actions, one should instill self-confidence among the army personnel and a sense of security for family members. We have to send a message that the entire country is with them,” Rao said.

“Though there are (financial) problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one should cut expenditure somewhere and work for welfare of our defence forces,” the CM said while interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video-conference with all parties on the standoff with China at borders issue.

While the central government does its part for the martyred, states should also extend all possible help. It is only then that the army personnel and their family members would have the confidence that the country is standing with them, the CM stated.