Mother's 21 year wait for pension of son who attained martyrdom

THRISSUR: As the country celebrates another Republic Day, a mother has been fighting for more than two decades to get a pension in the name of her son who was shot dead by the Pakistan Army. Indira Menon (75), of Machattu Puthenveedu in Iringalakkuda, is fighting for justice for her son Vinayakumar.

Vinayakumar, a BSF jawan, was martyred on September 30, 1996 at the age of 28 in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani troops attacked a BSF post on the border. PN Vinayakumar was shot dead by Pakistani troops during a counter-attack.

Vinayakumar's wife had received a pension. She has not received a pension since her remarriage in June 2000.

She also gave her consent to grant pension to Vinayakumar's mother Indira. All documents have been submitted to the BSF. In December 2011, Indira's husband Narayanankutty also died. In 2016 and 2021, a complaint was lodged with the Prime Minister's Pension Complaints Redressal Cell. From there it was given to the BSF but no action was taken.

Earlier, the pension was given through Canara Bank's Iringalakuda branch. There are no records of it now. The BSF contacted Canara Bank's Central Pension Scheme Processing Center in Bangalore but did not receive the documents. Indira Menon said in a press conference that the pension paid from 1997 to 2000 is in the passbook.

She said she is not waiting to get her son's pension and make a living and that his martyrdom is being insulted and should get justice before her demise.

Daughter P Bindu, Jaihind Rajan and Advocate KG Satheesan were also present at the press conference.