Andhra Pradesh Government has enhanced ex gratia to the family of Siachen braveheart Mushtaq Ahmad to Rs 25 lakhs from Rs 5 lakh.
A cheque of the amount was presented to Mushtaq Ahmad’s family by the deputy Chief Minister KE Krishnamurthy in Parnapalle village in Kurnool district after his funeral last evening.
Mushtaq was one of the nine Indian soldiers who died in avalanche on Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world.
Earlier the residents of Mushtaq’s village had protested against the indifference of the state government as it had announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh. Pointing out that the neighboring Karnataka Government had announced ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh to lance Nayak Hanumanthappa who also died in the same
accident, they too demanded the same amount for Mushtaq’s family.
The State Cabinet later increased the amount and sent the cheque with the deputy Chief Minister who also hails from Kurnool district. The government has also promised a piece of land to build a house for Mushtaq’s family and a Government job to one member of the family.