Liberal leave policy no help to soldiers
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 4
Even as the defence ministry has liberalised the leave policy, the benefits of this have not percolated to the ground level in the Army.

The defence ministry in order to control suicides and fratricidal killings has decided to go for a liberal leave policy. But according to sources, the troops were still finding it quite hard to get leave as and when they needed it the most.

Swapnil Badane (21) of Usmanabad district in Maharashtra, posted with the 286 Medium Regiment at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) here, had allegedly committed suicide after he couldn't get leave to attend to his ailing mother.

“Swapnil’s mother was very ill. Instead of granting him leave, his higher-ups allegedly punished him for asking for leave. He was reportedly asked to make six rounds of the ground,” an intelligence sources claimed.

“During that time, Swapnil received a call from his home and was told about his mother’s failing health. Swapnil finding himself helpless to fulfill his duty as son of a ailing mother, allegedly shot himself dead at the ALG here,” the sources added.

The Army sources said jawans didn't get leave when they need it the most (during celebrations like marriages and also in case of eventualities like death of relatives or family members).

“Our higher-ups continue to create hurdles when it comes to getting leave,” said a soldier posted to a unit here asking not to be named. Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt-Col S.D. Goswami claimed that liberalised leave policy is already in vogue. “There is no problem in granting leaves to soldiers,” the spokesperson averred.