Haryana: Man died saving 11 lives in 2012, rights body flays authorities for delay in honouring him

Chandigarh, Sep 12 (PTI) The father of a man who sacrificed his life to save 11 people from a house fire caused by a cooking gas cylinder leak in Jind district, Haryana, in 2012, has been diligently seeking recognition for his son's bravery.

Chander Bhan, the father of the late Saurabh Garg, filed a complaint with the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC), which prompted the commission to issue directives to the relevant authorities.

The Bench of the Commission, comprising Justice Lalit Batra, Chairperson; Kuldeep Jain, Member (Judicial); and Deep Bhatia, Member, delivered the order based on a complaint filed in 2023 by Bhan before the commission.

Despite being just a neighbour to the burning house, Saurabh Garg rushed to the scene in the early hours of a cold December morning. He brought a ladder and managed to evacuate all 11 trapped individuals, including women and children. It was only after every person was safe that a massive explosion occurred, taking his life.

In its recent order, the commission observed, "at the outset, this commission is vividly moved to record highest appreciation that such gallantry, where a young citizen voluntarily risks and ultimately sacrifices his life for the safety of others, epitomises the highest ideals of humanity and deserves to be honoured by the nation. The sacrifice of late Saurabh Garg is not just a matter of personal bereavement to his family but a matter of pride for society and the state as a whole".

Bhan had been pursuing official recognition of his son's sacrifice for over 10 years.

The commission's order stated that the record shows the Deputy Commissioner, Jind, had promptly recommended the case to the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), within a week of the incident. Subsequent communications followed on December 14, 2012; January 15, 2015; August 23, 2022; September 27, 2022; September 29, 2023; and August 13, 2024.

On February 22, 2013, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha deliberated on the incident and paid tribute by observing silence. The assembly also sent a letter dated May 13, 2013, to the Deputy Commissioner of Jind expressing condolences to the bereaved family. Additionally, the Prime Minister's Office issued letters on December 24, 2012, and January 11, 2013, to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) acknowledging the incident at the national level.

The commission order indicated that there was a well-established Government of India policy at the time for recommending gallantry and life-saving acts for national awards.

The Haryana Government could have forwarded Garg's case under this policy. However, due to the failure of the concerned authorities to process the file within the required timeline, he was deprived of this recognition, as noted by the full commission led by Justice Batra.

The commission further remarked that this delay was a result of administrative negligence and apathy, causing injustice not only to Garg's family but also to society as a whole.

"The commission is of the considered view that the failure of the authorities to process the recommendation of the late Saurabh Garg's actions under an already existing award policy amounts to a serious violation of human rights. Recognition of gallantry and sacrifice is intrinsically linked with the dignity of the individual and the family. To deprive them of such recognition, solely due to bureaucratic delay, offends the principles of fairness, equality, and justice under human rights law," the order said.

The commission emphasised that honouring such acts of bravery is not only symbolic for the bereaved family but serves as a powerful message to society that acts of courage, humanity, and selflessness will always be remembered and never go unacknowledged.

However, the Additional Chief Secretary from Haryana's Home Department has informed that, according to a Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated April 1, 2024, only cases from the last two years can be nominated, meaning late Saurabh Garg’s name cannot be considered for the Prime Minister's Jeevan Raksha Padak.

The commission acknowledged the financial compensation of Rs 5 lakh provided by the state government, but clarified that it could not replace the institutional honour and national recognition that such an extraordinary sacrifice deserves.

Meanwhile, Protocol, Information & Public Relations Officer, HHRC, Puneet Arora, stated that, in light of the case's details, the full commission led by Justice Lalit Batra has issued several recommendations. These include requiring the Chief Secretary of Haryana to submit a report within six weeks, detailing the responsibility for the delay since 2012.

The state government will also request the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to relax the restrictions imposed by the notification dated April 1, 2024, and to consider this case specially, alongside proposals for a state-level gallantry award posthumously for Saurabh Garg. PTI SUN ANM ANM MPL MPL