J&K Revises Combat Death Compensation: Rs 25 Lakh for Defence Personnel, Rs 12 Lakh for Police

The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified revised compensation norms for families of security personnel killed in action, along with enhanced relief for civilians and property damage caused by terror-related incidents or cross-border shelling. The updated guidelines, issued under the security-related expenditure (SRE) framework, aim to standardise assistance across defence, paramilitary, police, and civil administration.

Under the new rules, defence and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel who are domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir and killed in terror-related incidents—whether inside or outside the Union Territory—will receive Rs 25 lakh. For non-domicile personnel killed while serving in J&K, the assistance has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh. The order also includes provisions for permanent and partial disability for these categories.

For police personnel killed in action, the revised compensation is Rs 12 lakh, comprising Rs 7 lakh from the Police Welfare Fund and Rs 5 lakh from the state budget. Special Police Officers killed on duty will receive Rs 5 lakh. Police personnel sustaining permanent disability are entitled to Rs 75,000, with separate provisions for partial disability. Ex-servicemen, meanwhile, have been allocated Rs 2 lakh in assistance.

Civilians killed in terror-related incidents or in shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) will receive Rs 1 lakh. The revised norms also cover government staff who die or suffer injuries while performing official duties. In such cases, the family of a magistrate killed on duty will get Rs 2 lakh, while other employees' families will receive Rs 1 lakh. Permanent disability for government staff is compensated at Rs 75,000, serious injury requiring hospitalisation for over 24 hours at Rs 5,000, and less severe injuries at Rs 1,000 or Rs 500 depending on medical attention needed.

The government has also introduced provisions for terrorists who surrender, with Rs 75,000 as rehabilitation assistance. Families of terrorists who turned informers and are subsequently killed will receive Rs 1 lakh.

In cases of damage to property during counter-terror operations, the relief is capped at Rs 10 lakh per case—Rs 7 lakh for immovable and Rs 3 lakh for movable property—or the actual assessed loss, whichever is lower. For damage caused by shelling or firing from across the border, relief will be 50% of the assessed loss, subject to the prescribed ceiling. Similarly, damage from bomb blasts or sabotage is covered at 50% of the assessed loss, with a maximum of Rs 1 lakh for immovable property.

The relief will be sanctioned by the concerned Deputy Commissioner based on recommendations from the District Level Screening-cum-Coordination Committee. Individuals aggrieved by the assessment order may appeal to the Divisional Commissioner within 30 days of the order.

The revision brings uniformity to compensation for security personnel and civilians affected by conflict-related incidents in J&K. The government stated that the updated norms align with the security-related expenditure framework and aim to provide timely financial support to families who have suffered losses.