The Hindu : National : Governments to aid engineer's family

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 01, 2006

National

National

Governments to aid engineer's family

Special Correspondent

Rajasekhara Reddy visits the victim's house; says he will personally assure the family's well-being

AGAINST THE TALIBAN: Friends and relatives of engineer K. Suryanarayana who was kidnapped and killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan raise slogans against the outfit near his residence on Sunday in Hyderabad. — Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

HYDERABAD: News of the brutal killing of K. Suryanarayana by the Taliban in Afghanistan was received with shock and disbelief by his family members at his residence at East Anandbagh Colony here on Sunday.

Moving scenes were witnessed as Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy visited Mr. Suryanarayana's family members. Soon after receiving confirmation from the Prime Minister's Office, he drove down to his residence. Controlling his emotions, Mr. Reddy consoled the grief-stricken family members. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh and a job to any one of the family members.

"C.M. uncle, will our daddy come back? Everybody is watching television and saying that he will not come. Is it true," Mr. Suryanarayana's eldest daughter Anisha asked anxiously. Mr. Reddy, speaking with difficulty, broke the tragic news: "Yes, I received a call from Prime Minister's Office confirming the incident," as the girl broke down.

"Don't be afraid, I will take care of you, your sister, brother and mother. I will personally assure your well-being. The Government is with you," he told Anisha as his eyes became moist. The distraught wife of the engineer, Manjula, wailed and threatened to end her life. "What is the use of living in this world when my Narayana is no more," she cried.

Mr. Reddy tried to reason with her: "They have already lost their father. Can you imagine their fate, if you also leave them?"

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had instructed him to take all measures to help the family. "The entire nation has condemned the barbaric incident and everybody in Andhra Pradesh feels it is a personal tragedy," he said.

Mr. Reddy asked his staff to give his telephone numbers to the family so that they could contact him anytime for help.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Singh telephoned Dr. Reddy and told him that the Centre would provide a special package for Mr. Suryanarayana's family. He also assured that the Centre would see to it that the company which had employed Suryanarayana also paid compensation (The Al-Moayed Telecom Company announced a compensation on Sunday).

Hopes dashed

Even as they prayed for a miracle fortheir sole breadwinner, the hopes of the engineer's family members dashed after confirmation of his death from Afghanistan. The family was shattered by the news.

"What mistake has my husband committed? They [Talibans] killed him without any reason. They are demons," Ms. Manjula said, weeping inconsolably and clinging onto her children and sister-in-law.

After a sleepless night, Sunday began on an optimistic note for the family when they met the Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy at his camp office in Begumpet and urged him to secure Mr. Suryanarayana's release.

A couple of hours later, their worst fears came true. Regional Passport Officer B. Balabhaskar confirmed the death to the family in the afternoon.

Body to be flown

on Monday

He said the Union Ministry of External Affairs was making arrangements to bring the body to New Delhi by 2.30 p.m. on Monday. The body would be flown to the city by 5 p.m.

Relatives, friends and his former colleagues thronged Mr. Suryanarayana's house to express their grief and solidarity.

Relatives denied reports that Mr. Suryanarayana was killed while trying to escape. The Taliban eliminated him deliberately and the deadline was a sham, they maintained.

"Why will Suryanarayana try to escape when they set a deadline till 7 p.m. on Sunday," a relative argued.

They also raised slogans denouncing the barbaric act.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya condemned the act and demanded that the safety of 1,000 others from Andhra Pradesh working in Afghanistan be ensured.

Leaders visit

Siddipet MP Sarvey Satyanarayana, Secunderabad Cantonment legislator G. Sayanna, Hyderabad Collector Arvind Kumar and several political leaders visited the family.

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