West Bengal government to compensate, provide jobs to families of Sabir Mollah and Kanchan Gorai
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced at an administrative meeting of Kharagpur Grameen, on October 6, that the state government will compensate the families of those who have been missing for 10 years in Jhargram and will also provide one of them with a job as a special home guard.
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FollowWest Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced at an administrative meeting of Kharagpur Grameen, on October 6, that the state government will provide compensation and jobs to the families of those who have been missing for 10 years in Jangalmahal.
The chief minister said, “Many people of Jangalmahal are still missing in the Maoist area. The state government will compensate the families of those who have been missing for 10 years with Rs 4 lakh and will provide one of them with a job as a special home guard.”
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On July 30, 2009, two constables of the State Armed Police went missing on their way to Dharampur camp in Lalgarh. The two constables were identified as Sabir Mollah and Kanchan Gorai. Later, Maoist leader Bikash claimed that the two policemen were 'victims of public outrage'. Although the bodies of the two constables were not found.
The families of Sabir Mollah of Burdwan and Kanchan Gorai of Bankura are still waiting to find out what happened to the two constables.
In 2011, few bones were recovered during digging of land in Dharampur. The families of the two constables were called for DNA testing to find out if they belonged to Sabir and Kanchan. But Kanchan's father Basudeb Gorai and Sabir's brother Samad Ali Mollah stated that they did not receive the DNA report. They claimed that the police did not even provide a death certificate.
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Basudeb said, “Kanchan's deposited money in the bank cannot be withdrawn. What is being paid as his salary is also not fair. According to the announcement of the chief minister, if one of the family members gets a job and the compensation, then the family will be benefited.”
Seven years after Sabir's disappearance, one of his brothers, Safiq, secured a job in the police department.
Sabir's brother Samad Ali Mollah said, “The chief minister’s announcement of providing compensation to the families is good. But it would have been better if we got to know whether Sabir is alive or dead.”
According to Shubhankar Mandal, editor of Joint Forum of Martyrs and Missing Persons in Maoist Attacks, “The chief minister had given this assurance in 2012 in Belpahari. We have 12-point demands on government projects, including housing, rehabilitation, health project cards. If all that is done, I will understand that the state government is really on the side of the bereaved families.”
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