CHANDIGARH: Clarifying that the death of a soldier cannot be solely attributed to alcohol consumption, Armed Force Tribunal has held that other service-related factors, including deployment on higher altitude are also contributing factors, reports Ajay Sura. The tribunal passed these orders while granting special family pension to the widow of an IAF soldier who died from a fatal medical condition at 1,500m Kurseong in Darjeeling (West Bengal). A division bench comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Gupta, judicial member, and Major General Sanjay Singh (Retd.), administrative member, of Lucknow bench of AFT passed these orders while allowing an application filed by Kavita Talan, wife of late Corporal Jasvindra Singh Talan. The tribunal held that her husband’s death occurred in the performance of official duty. Talan died on July 15, 2015. During the hearing, govt argued that medical summary shows Talan was a ‘regular alcohol consumer’ for six years prior to his death. The bench observed attributing the death solely to alleged alcohol consumption was unsustainable & lacked a definitive medical basis.
