New Delhi: A former Indian Navy sailor who was deployed in the Goa Operation of Liberation of Anjediva Island in December 1961, and was injured when his motorboat came under fire, has finally been told that he will be receiving compensation for the injury he received in combat. The bullet that struck Tara Singh, now 83 years old, is still lodged in his head.According to The Telegraph, the Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal has said that Singh must be paid a war injury pension. “On December 18, 1961, Tara Singh was part of a landing party from INS Trishul and was directed to move to the island by a motorboat. On the way, his party came under fire from the enemy and a bullet hit him in the head,” the newspaper reported.“The injury sustained during the operation was declared ‘head injury fracture skull’ and a piece of bullet still remains lodged in his head. After being hit, he was evacuated and admitted to INS Ashwani,” Singh’s counsel Arun Singla said.The bench, headed by Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary, said, “…it is desirable to refer to the Government of India instructions dated January 31, 2001, which provided as to what type of injury/casualty has to be treated as battle casualty/injury. Casualties/disabilities amongst others caused in an operation especially notified by the government from time to time have been categorised as war casualties in this document.”The Bench added the case of Tara Singh was covered under instructions dated January 31, 2001, as the Goa Liberation Operation was notified by the government. “The applicant as such is definitely entitled to the grant of war injury pension and the denial thereof is not only illegal, arbitrary, and an abuse of power vested in the respondents, but also capricious,” noted the Bench.