A new controversy has emerged surrounding the death of an Air Force officer who laid down his life in the line of duty for the nation. The family of Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, who was killed in an Indian Air Force aircraft crash in Jorhat, Assam, has alleged that his purported wife, Shreya Rai, has cut off contact after receiving a compensation cheque of ₹21 lakh.
Shubham Kumar lost his life while on duty in the Air Force aircraft accident in Assam. His last rites were performed with full military honours. However, amid the grief, the family has now raised questions over the distribution of compensation.
Shubham’s father, Amarendra Sharma, said that the family was aware of Shubham’s relationship with Shreya Rai and had given consent to their marriage. He said that the wedding was planned for this year itself. However, he claimed that the family had no information about a court marriage having taken place.
According to the family’s allegation, after Shubham’s death, a compensation cheque of ₹21 lakh was handed over to Shreya Rai. They came to know about this only after the funeral formalities were completed.
Amarendra Sharma said that if Shreya Rai is legally Shubham’s wife, then she has the right to receive the compensation. But he alleged that the family was not given any information on how and on what basis the money was released.
The family had also contacted the local administration regarding the matter. Only then did they learn that the compensation cheque had been handed over to Shreya Rai.
Meanwhile, the father claimed that Shubham’s death has left the family devastated both financially and mentally. He also mentioned that Shubham was the primary earner of the family.
It may be noted that a large number of people attended Shubham Kumar’s funeral. The ceremony, held with military honours, was also attended by Air Force officials. But amid that atmosphere of grief, a new controversy has now emerged over his marital status and the right to compensation.
No official clarification has been issued on the matter so far. Uncertainty also continues over what documents were used while releasing the ₹21 lakh compensation and whether the matter will be re-examined following the family’s objection.
