Wife of slain Pulwama soldier wants truth about the attack known

If there were lapses, those responsible should be held accountable, says Sheena, wife of V.V. Vasanthakumar, in the wake of the recent disclosures of the then J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik

Sheena, the wife of slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldier V.V. Vasanthakumar, turns melancholic as the news of the Pulwama terror attack hits the headlines once again. Four years after the incident, Ms. Sheena is still in the dark about the circumstances that led to the incident that robbed her family of its sole breadwinner.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik recently disclosed that the terror attack occurred because the Centre did not provide aircraft to transport CRPF men from Jammu to Srinagar despite intelligence inputs about threats. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajith Doval had asked him to keep quiet when he told them about the circumstances that led to the attack. He also alleged that the government had used the Pulwama attack for political gains. Opposition parties have demanded a probe into the former Governor’s ‘‘revelations’’.

“We have the right to know how our dear ones were killed. If there were lapses, those responsible should be held accountable,” Ms. Sheena told The Hindu.

Probe sought

She felt that a probe was required to ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident in light of the revelations of Mr. Malik.

“All we know about the incident is what was reported in the media. We never had the opportunity to be at the scene. No one explained to us what actually happened on the fateful day,” said Ms. Sheena, a native of Wayanad.

A young mother of two children, Ms. Sheena felt that accountability must be fixed to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. No probe or punitive action can bring the slain officers back to life. Yet, truth should be revealed for the benefit of the soldiers, she said.

Protection for soldiers

“No family should lose its breadwinner due to the failure of the system to protect its soldiers. The country must provide adequate protection to its soldiers,” Ms. Sheena said.

Ms. Sheena, who is slowly rebuilding her life, now lives in the house constructed by the State government for her family. Besides the ex gratia payment of ₹25 lakh, the Kerala government had also employed her as an assistant at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.