Tension over medals: Captain Anshuman Singh's parents accuse daughter-in-law of taking Kirti Chakra

New Delhi: A contentious dispute has arisen between the family of late Captain Anshuman Singh, who tragically perished in a fire incident in Siachen last year, over the custody of the prestigious Kirti Chakra awarded posthumously to him by the government. His parents have accused their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, of taking possession of the medal along with other personal belongings.

Smriti changed official permanent address

In an exclusive interview with Indian prominent channel, Captain Anshuman Singh's father, Ravi Pratap Singh, revealed that his daughter-in-law relocated the Kirti Chakra, awarded on July 5, to her residence in Gurdaspur. He further alleged that Smriti changed Captain Anshuman's official permanent address from Lucknow to Gurdaspur to manage all official communications regarding her late husband.

What his Anushuman' father said? 

"We married Anshuman to Smriti with his consent. After their marriage, she lived with my daughter in Noida. However, after Anshuman's demise on July 19, 2023, during his funeral rites in Gorakhpur, she insisted on returning to Gurdaspur," Mr. Ravi Pratap Singh stated. Mr. Ravi Pratap Singh expressed deep regret over being unable to personally handle the Kirti Chakra when it was conferred upon his son by the President, as Smriti reportedly took custody of the award. "At the award ceremony, my wife and daughter-in-law were present to receive the Kirti Chakra from the President. Despite my wishes, I did not have the opportunity to hold the medal," he lamented.

Install a memorial statue

Mrs. Manju Singh, Captain Anshuman's mother, recalled a similar experience, stating, "At Rashtrapati Bhavan, I briefly held the Kirti Chakra for a photograph upon the insistence of Army officers. Unfortunately, Smriti promptly took the medal from me thereafter." Furthermore, Mr. Ravi Pratap Singh alleged that when plans were made to install a memorial statue in Captain Anshuman's honor, he requested Smriti and her father to bring the Kirti Chakra for the unveiling ceremony, but received no response.

Succumbed to severe injuries 

Captain Anshuman Singh, a native of Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, was a medical officer stationed in the Siachen Glacier region. He succumbed to severe injuries sustained in a fire while rescuing fellow Army personnel trapped in a fibreglass hut. The Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, was bestowed upon Captain Anshuman Singh for his courageous actions. The medal was presented to his wife, Smriti Singh, and mother, Manju Singh, by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.