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National

Word of comfort from PM

Special Correspondent

— Photo: PTI/ Vijay Verma

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh consoles family members of V. Venkateswara Rao in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday visited the families of Brigadier R. D. Mehta and Indian Foreign Service officer V. Venkateswara Rao, who were killed in a suicide bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul on Monday. The Prime Minister first visited Brig. Mehta’s house in Ghaziabad and then Mr. Rao’s flat here.

Soon after he arrived from Japan on Thursday, Dr. Singh visited the trauma centre of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences to enquire about the health of the two Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawans injured in the attack and announced Rs.2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. He had also announced lifetime financial support to the families of Brig. Mehta, who was Defence Attache in Afghanistan and Rao, Counsellor (Political and Information).

Besides, Rs.5 lakh each would be given to the families of two ITBP jawans, Ajay Pathania and Roop Singh, who were manning the embassy gates and died in the bomb attack. The family of Niamatullah, an Afghan national, who was also killed with the four Indians, would be given a similar amount.

Shimla’s tribute

Shimla Special Correspondent reports:

As a tribute to Brigadier Mehta, the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday named a road after him near his downtown residence in Keleston Estate in Shimla. The small road originates from the Longwood Square near the local Girls College.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal visited Brigadier Mehta’s family on Friday and announced an ex gratia of Rs.3 lakh.

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