Families of slain Punjab policemen get Rs.20 lakh grant

GURDASPUR - Families of two Punjab Police personnel who died fighting Pakistani intruders in the border district of Gurdaspur were Saturday given cheques Rs.20 lakh each as grant.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Punjab’s home minister, met the families of constable Narinder Singh and Head Constable Sawinder Singh and presented the cheques.

Badal said the families would get the last drawn pay of the two men till the date they would have retired.

Both men were killed in a gun battle with heavily armed Pakistani intruders in Bhamial sector of Gurdaspur April 24.

Badal also handed over appointment letters for government jobs to eligible members of the families of the policemen.

The Gurdaspur district police personnel and officials have also decided to donate a day’s salary to help the families of the slain policemen.

Badal announced the setting up of a stadium in village Got Pokhar in memory of Narinder Singh and a community health centre in village Jagowal Banger in memory of Sawinder Singh.

Talking to the media, Badal said the Punjab government was committed to maintaining peace in the state and would not allow terrorism to raise its head in Punjab again.

He asked the central government to provide a grant of Rs.200 crore annually to modernize the Punjab Police.