Inspector’s act of bravery fetched him neither honour nor help

JAMMU, NOV 5: Inspector Vijay Kumar is one of those rare heroes whom the country can't do without. In a rare act of bravery, he had shot d...

JAMMU, NOV 5: Inspector Vijay Kumar is one of those rare heroes whom the country can’t do without. In a rare act of bravery, he had shot dead a most wanted district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Tariq Ahmed Khan, in Anantnag district on December 2, 1997, despite being injured and facing a barrage of bullets. He was permanently disabled in the operation.

In January 1998, his name was recommended by the Anantnag Superintendent of Police for the President’s Medal for Gallantry. He is still waiting, nursing his wounded right leg which now has steel rods inserted in it. And the financial assistance that he badly needed never came. The country seems to have forgotten him.

He still remembers the encounter distinctly. On December 2, 1997, the Anantnag police was tipped off about the presence of three top-ranking militants at a house in Dabran village.

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The police raided the house. The team was led by DSP Tejinder Singh and had Inspector Vijay Kumar CRPF’s Kali Dass in it. When Vijay Kumar and Kali Dass challenged the militants, they started firing indiscriminately. Kali Dass was killed on the spot and Vijay seriously injured.

He, however, kept on firing at them, without caring for his safety, and killed the Hizbul commander who was wanted by the Army. This didn’t come as a surprise to his colleagues who were familiar with his career.

He had joined J&K Police in 1990 as a Sub-Inspector. Because of his exemplary work, he had been sent for a special commando course to the ITBP at Mussoorie in 1995. On his return, he was included in the Special Operation Group (SOG) which deals with militancy. He participated in many operations and killed at least a dozen militants under STF operations.

In recognition of his outstanding performance in the SOG, he was promoted as Inspector out of turn in May 1996.

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All that doesn’t matter now. He has spent over Rs 1 lakh on his treatment so far and needs to spend Rs 40,000 more. He has got neither the assistance that he is entitled to, nor promotion. Vijay says he is entitled to Rs 75,000 on account of permanently disability but only Rs 5000 has been given to him so far. However, Inspector General of Police P.S. Gill, had sent him Rs 30,000.

That alone can’t act as a balm on the wounded pride of this man.