Goa CM Sawant honours widow of martyr Karnail Singh, says indebted to his sacrifice for state's liberation

Chandigarh: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that Goa would always be indebted to the martyr Karnail Singh Benipal, a resident of Haryana, who laid down his life for Goa's struggle for freedom from Portuguese rule.

After paying tributes to martyr Benipal at Barola village in Ambala district to honour his widow Charanjit Kaur, Dr Sawant, while addressing the media persons here, also announced that a road leading from Goa International Airport would be named after martyr Karnail Singh Benipal.

Dr Sawant said that on the call of prime minister Narendra Modi, the country is celebrating "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" and during this period, all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom are remembered and paid tributes.

"Goa is also celebrating 60 years of its independence and as a part of these celebrations, I have specially visited Barola village in Ambala to meet Charanjit Kaur, wife of martyr Benipal and have presented a cheque of Rs 10 lakh and a citation to her as a gesture of honour to the martyr," the chief minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar also assured that all possible help would be provided to the martyr’s widow Charanjit Kaur in the future as well and that the government school of Barola would be named after Shaheed Karnail Singh or his wife.

Dr Sawant further said that in the memory of the known and unknown martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the independence of Goa, a memorial is being built at Patradevi.

A statue of Shaheed Karnail Singh Benipal has also been made in the government school of Patradevi. "Apart from this, the Goa government is also honouring the families of the martyrs involved in the liberation of Goa," he said.

On a question on the murder of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, the CM said that the investigation of her murder case had been handed over to CBI at the demand of the victim's family. Goa Police is fully cooperating with CBI in this matter. At the same time, Goa's Anti Narcotics Cell is also tightening the noose around those involved in drug abuse, he said. "Many raids have been conducted within 3 years, in which the accused have been caught. Apart from this, drug peddlers are also being caught," added the chief minister.

Karnail Singh Benipal was killed at Patradevi in 1955, fighting for the state’s liberation from Portuguese rule. Goa, which attained statehood in 1987, was liberated on December 19, 1961, from Portuguese rule.

Benipal had sacrificed his life at the young age of 25 for Goa’s liberation. He was hit by bullets in the chest on August 15, 1955, at Patradevi in the coastal state.