Satara war veteran loses his battle against life

The 74yearold war veteran from Satara awaiting justice for the last 48 years breathed his last on Sunday morning at his home in the Hingnole village of Satara district Hindurao Ingale had served in the 1971 IndoPak war and had been fighting to secure a small piece of land that he was promised by the government for being a war veteranIngale had in June this year moved a contempt of court proceeding at the Bombay High Court against Satara Collector and State Revenue Secretary for not providing him the parcel of land as per government resolution of 1971The HC had found Ingale eligible for agricultural land and a plot for construction of a house and had directed the state government to hand it over to him a year ago February 2018 in its verdict over the writ petition Ingale had filed in April 2015ldquoI am unable to walk due to my bullet wound and old age I find it difficult to visit Mumbai frequently For reasons best known to the bureaucrats they are delaying handing over the piece of land to me as directed by the courtrdquo he had told midday after filing the contempt of court proceedingWhen I am being made to run from courts to government offices despite being a warinjured soldier who had fought enemies in the 1971 war what will the government do for my wife after my demise he had questionedHindurao Ingale with his wife and family at his home in Satara FILE PICSAlso Read1971 War veteran takes Satara Collector to High Court for contemptThe last nightIngales son Mahesh 43 told midday that his father had expressed his concern over the delay in securing the land before going to sleep on Sunday night He was worried about our future as there was no source of income nor any pension coming in We assured him that everything would be fine before going to sleep at 10 pm he said adding He woke up around 2 am complaining of pain around his chest and left hand He was sweating We applied a pain balm and insisted on taking him to the hospital but he refused saying he was feeling better An hour later though Ingale became restless again and was rushed him to a private hospital in Umrej four kilometres from his homeAfter conducting an ECG the doctors gave him some medicines and advised him to get admitted but Ingale said he was fineWhen the family returned home at 5 am Ingale asked his wife Mankabai for a cigarette saying ldquoPlease give me this last time I wonrsquot ask hereafter He even had some tea and bread before he fell unconsciousrdquoHe was immediately put into a vehicle to reach the hospital but was declared dead before admissionState failed says widowAn inconsolable Mankabai told midday ldquoTwo days before his death he was telling me that he was worried for me I ignored him but today when he is no more and with no source of income and two jobless drunkard sons I am lonely and cluelessrdquoldquoMy husband was a soldier who sustained bullet injuries for the country After four and a half decades of fighting the Bombay High Court passed an order in our favour but the state machinery ensured that we never got justiceThe familys only source of income is R3000 it gets as financial aid from Prem Daryanani a resident of Walkeshwar who offered help after reading the midday report of Ingales struggleMankabai also said that Ingale would interact with politicians social workers and army officials directly Neither of us know these people I do not know how and who will help us now she said adding that she only knows advocate Rajeshwar Panchal who has been fighting the case for freeUtter disregard by stateIt is very disappointing that the state machinery failed to give justice to a soldier who fought for the country and died waiting for his rightful piece of land and disability pension for decadesrdquo said PanchalIngales case he said has exposed the government and the collector of Satara who have shown utter disregard to the order of High CourtThe court had also imposed R50000 for delaying the grant of land to the war hero It is disheartening to see that the contemnors could display such an indifference to the war hero I hope that the HC punishes the contemnors under the Contempt of Courts Act and sends a strong message to all he addedA hearing in the contempt of court case by the division bench will be held in September 2019Ingales legal heirs will now be entitled to the land A special leave petition on seeking disability pension filed by Ingale a few years ago too will come up for hearing soon and his widow will now be entitled to it Panchal informedApril 2015 Ingale filed writ petitionFebruary 2018 HC directed state to hand over land to IngaleJune 2019 Ingale filed Contempt of CourtSeptember 2019 Next hearing in the caseWhen I am being made to run from courts to government offices despite being a warinjured soldier who had fought enemies in the 1971 war what will the government do for my wife after my demiseHindurao Ingale had said in June 2019 Two days before his death he was telling me that he was worried for me I ignored him but today when he is no more and with no source of income and two jobless drunkard sons I am lonely and cluelessMankabai Ingale Hinduraos wife My husband was a soldier who sustained bullet injuries for the country After four and a half decades of fighting the Bombay High Court passed an order in our favour but the state machinery ensured that we never got justiceMankabai Ingale Hinduraos wifeAlso ReadMumbai Disabled girls abandoned at Sion hospitalCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates