Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday visited the kin of Colonel Santosh Babu, who was killed in the clash between Indian and Chinese forces in Galwan Valley in Ladakh earlier this week.
The Chief Minister met with Santosh’s mother and father besides his wife and two children at their home in Suryapet. He handed over a cheque of Rs 4 crore to Santosh’s wife, Santoshi, besides another Rs 1 crore to his parents. A plot of 711 square yards in Banjara Hills was also allocated to the family.
KCR has also promised a Group-1 level job to Santoshi.
Speaking to reporters, Santosh’s mother Manjula said, “We’re very happy that the CM personally came and met us. It is very reassuring for us that the state government is standing with our family.”
KCR had also instructed only a few officials and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party leaders to be present, given the situation in the state due to COVID-19. State Energy Minister Jagadish Reddy, who hails from Suryapet district, and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar were among those present during the meeting.
It was on Friday that KCR announced that the state government would provide Rs 5 crore and a plot of land to the family of the late Colonel, who was the Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment.
Besides this, the government also said that they will provide Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the other 19 soldiers who were killed in the clash.
Ahead of KCR’s visit, all shops in Suryapet were asked to down their shutters and the road leading up to the Colonel’s house was barricaded and several police personnel deployed.
As a security measure, the road leading to the house of #ColSantoshBabu has been barricaded by police in Suryapet in view of CM KCR’s visit to the family. pic.twitter.com/AsyTNnDVsq
— Sushil Rao (@sushilrTOI) June 22, 2020
Colonel Santosh Babu’s final rites were held with full military honours on June 18, after his mortal remains were brought to the Hakimpet Air Force Station in the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Minister KT Rama Rao were among those who had paid their respects in Hyderabad.
The body was taken to Suryapet where several hundreds showed up at his family home to pay their respects, following which he was cremated.
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