‘Recently married, expecting a child': Bihar prepares to lay to rest another BSF jawan killed in Pakistan fire
Bihar on Tuesday mourned BSF jawan Rambabu Singh, who died late on Monday night after being injured in Pakistan's cross-border shelling along border areas of Jammu and Kashmir last week. His body is expected to be brought to Siwan on Wednesday.
A day earlier, another BSF man from Bihar, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Imteyaz, was laid to rest with full state honours in Saran. They were both wounded in J&K in Pakistani shelling, which came amid rising tensions between the two countries in the aftermath of India's Operation Sindoor.
As leaders across the political spectrum paid tribute to both the BSF men, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh each for their families.
Rambabu Singh, a resident of Basilpur village in Siwan district, was critically injured in shelling on Friday. Singh had only recently married his wife, Anjali, and was expecting a child, family members said.
On the morning of his death, Singh had spoken to his wife at 10 am. His father-in-law said Singh had got a posting to Jodhpur, but due to the recent India-Pakistan tensions, he was retained in Jammu and Kashmir.
The son of a former deputy mukhiya of Hariharpur Panchayat, Rambabu was the younger of two siblings and had always dreamt of serving the nation since his childhood, his uncle Shashi Kant said.
His mortal remains are expected to arrive in Siwan on Wednesday, where preparations are underway for his funeral with full state honours in the presence of district authorities and Army officials.
'…The nation will always remember his sacrifice. I am deeply saddened by this incident. I pray to God to give strength to the martyr's family to endure this difficult time. The state government will provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 50 lakh to the nearest dependent of martyr Rambabu Singh. Additionally, the state government will ensure that the last rites of martyr Rambabu Singh are conducted with full police honours,' Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in a post on X.
On Tuesday, Kumar, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, ministers Mohammad Zama Khan and Sumit Kumar Singh, along with other leaders and several senior administrative officials including DGP Vinay Kumar, visited BSF Sub-Inspector Mohammad Imteyaz's family.
The CM handed over a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to the family and announced a government job for Imteyaz's son in line with his qualifications. Kumar also declared a two-kilometre stretch of road, from Chintamanganj Bridge to Rahampur Bazar, will be named after Imteyaz and that a memorial gate will be constructed at the entrance to Jalal-Basant panchayat. Additionally, a new health sub-centre and a permanent memorial will be established in the village to honour him, authorities said.
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav had also visited the bereaved family and demanded the state government 'name a big hospital after martyr Mohammad Imteyaz' and to provide all possible support to his family, including the allotment of a 'petrol pump for financial support'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
40 minutes ago
- India.com
Pakistans Debt Crisis Explodes: Burden Mounts To 76,007,000,000,000 PKR Exposing Islamabads Vulnerability
Pakistan Economic Crisis: Pakistan is often called the begging bowl of the world, especially among the Islamic nations. Every now and then, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is seen visiting friendly countries seeking assistance, investments and support while its Army keeps spending on building terror infrastructure. Now, a fresh report has revealed a staggering surge in Pakistan's debt. While Pakistan has been facing burgeoning inflation, the country's national debt is soaring to a record high. A new Economic Survey, released this Monday, reveals that Pakistan's debt has soared to an unprecedented high, painting a deeply concerning picture for its economic future. According to the CNN-NEWS18 report, Pakistan's total public debt hit a staggering 76,007 billion Pakistani Rupees (PKR)—that's 76 trillion —by the end of March 2025. This marks the highest debt level in the country's history. To put that into perspective, it translates to approximately INR 23.1 trillion or US $269.344 billion. The rapid escalation of this debt is particularly alarming. Just four years ago, in 2020-21, Pakistan's public debt stood at 39,860 billion PKR, meaning it has nearly doubled in that short span. Looking back a decade, the figure was just 17,380 billion PKR, indicating that the nation's public debt has ballooned by almost five times over the past ten years. This colossal sum of 76,007 billion PKR is made up of 51,518 billion PKR in domestic debt and 24,489 billion PKR in external debt. The Economic Survey itself warns of the dangers, stating that "excessive or poorly managed debt can pose serious vulnerabilities, such as rising interest burdens and can undermine long-term fiscal sustainability and economic security if left unaddressed." Amidst this backdrop, Pakistan recently received a US $1.03 billion aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its Extended Fund Facility, an attempt to provide some relief to its strained economy. Notably, Pakistan is planning to increase its defence spending in wake of the Operation Sindoor where it faced a humiliating defeat against India. Pakistan has repeatedly been accused of diverting development funds towards terror and military infrastructure.
India Today
40 minutes ago
- India Today
India eyes Rs 50,000 crore defence export target by 2029 as global demand surges
India's defence sector has achieved a remarkable milestone as the country's defence exports surged to Rs 23,622 crore in the financial year 2024-25, marking a 12.04 per cent increase over the previous year's figure of Rs 21,083 crore. While indigenisation in India's defence forces has been underway for several decades, the last 11 years have seen a rapid acceleration, with the country now joining the ranks of elite global players in defence heavily dependent on imports to meet its defence needs, India is now exporting military hardware to more than 80 countries, including prominent global powers such as the United States and France. Armenia also figures among the top buyers in 2023-24, indicating the growing trust in India's defence capabilities. Public sector defence undertakings (DPSUs) and private players have both contributed significantly to the export momentum. In 2024-25, DPSUs exported equipment worth Rs 8,389 crore, a sharp 42.85 per cent jump from Rs 5,874 crore in the previous fiscal companies accounted for Rs 15,233 crore, a marginal increase from Rs 15,209 crore the year before. The Ministry of Defence has set an ambitious target of taking defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by upward trajectory is also evident in the broader scale of defence production. The sector has witnessed a staggering 174 per cent growth over the past Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15, India's total defence production has now reached Rs 1,27,265 crore in 2023-24. The government has outlined a long-term goal of scaling domestic defence manufacturing to Rs 3 lakh crore by of the key policy initiatives fuelling this growth is the Positive Indigenisation List, under which the Ministry of Defence has banned the import of several hundred categories of weapons, equipment, and spare has not only reduced dependency on foreign suppliers but also created space for domestic innovation and production, enabling India to meet its own defence requirements with locally made InTrending Reel
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Exalogic case: CM Pinarayi Vijayan files affidavit in Kerala high court opposing CBI probe
Kochi: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has filed a counter-affidavit before high court opposing the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI probe into the controversial Exalogic-CMRL transaction, terming it a 'politically instigated litigation'. In his affidavit, he denied all allegations, including the claim that Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct company owned by his daughter T Veena, is his 'benami company,' and that he received illegal gratification from CMRL. The PIL filed by senior journalist M R Ajayan alleged that Exalogic received Rs 1.72 crore from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) as illegal gratification. He also sought an investigation into the alleged political nexus involving the CM and the companies concerned. During the last hearing, the court had directed the respondents, including the CM, to file their counter-affidavits. The matter is posted for further consideration on June 17. In his 19-page affidavit, Vijayan submitted that the petitioner had failed to produce any material to substantiate the allegations, terming the PIL a "textbook case of a fishing expedition", an attempt to prompt a roving inquiry without foundational facts. He contended that the prayer for a CBI probe was devoid of genuine public interest and was instead driven by personal and political motives, targeting him and his daughter based on a single private commercial arrangement. Vijayan stated that, as per his understanding, Exalogic was engaged to provide software and marketing consultancy services to CMRL under a legitimate agreement, and that all transactions were duly accounted for through banking channels. He disclaimed any knowledge of or involvement in his daughter's business affairs, stating that she acted independently. He also denied the allegation that he was the 'kingpin' in the transfer of Kovalam Palace to a private businessman, asserting that he had exercised no undue influence in the matter. He pointed out that he assumed office well after the transfer took place. Further, he submitted that the petitioner had neither alleged any bias or collusion on the part of the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) nor challenged the decision of the vigilance court, which declined to direct registration of an FIR in the case. Vijayan also contended that the petitioner had failed to implead the state govt as a respondent and that entertaining a petition in the absence of any evidence of bias or inaction would undermine the constitutional framework of federalism. Additionally, he submitted that an investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is already in progress, and therefore, parallel investigations by other agencies into the same allegation cannot be undertaken.
