http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Firing-upturned-the-world-of-this-19-year-old-mother-and-her-14-day-old-baby/articleshow/10333425.cms
Firing upturned the world of this 19-year-old mother and her 14-day-old baby
M T Saju, TNN | Oct 13, 2011, 03.09AM IST
Paramakudi: Gayathri was pregnant when her husband Jayapal (also
called Amar) died in the police firing in Paramakudi on September 11,
ahead of a memorial for dalit icon Immanuel Sekaran on his 54th death
anniversary. Jayapal was part of the crowd that had gathered to
protest the policeas refusal to let dalit leader John Pandian from
proceeding to Sekaranas memorial in Paramakudi. Seven people,
including Jayapal, died when the police fired at the crowd. A few days
later, Jayapalas son was born.
With the 14-day-old baby boy, Gayathri now lives at her motheras house
in Vasanthapuram in Paramakudi. She got a meagre Rs one lakh as
compensation from the government and some money from various political
parties. The 19-year-old mother says money canat repair their loss.
Jayapal and Gayathri had got married in January 2010 and they settled
in Manjoor, a village 10 km from Paramakudi. "He was very nice and
never had any bad habits. Since I returned to my home for delivery, he
used to come and stay here at my place," says Gayathri. In fact, it
was from his wifeas house that Jayapal left for the samadhi spot with
his brother-in law. However, when the crowd turned violent, both were
separated. "My brother reached home and told me that police was
charging at people. We immediately tried to call him on him on mobile,
but it was not responding. Around mid-night, someone picked the call
and asked our address. He then asked us to contact a police inspector
in Paramakudi," she says.
Gayathri and her mother Revathi went to all the hospitals in and
around Paramakudi and Madurai, but could not find Jayapal. "We finally
saw his picture in newspaper," says Revathi, who runs a small shop in
Pramakudi.
Recently, some relatives of her in-laws came and demanded the
compensation money that Gayathri received. "I donat have any problems
with my in-laws, but some of their relatives are creating problems.
They say I am getting all the benefits, the parents are not getting
anything," she says. Gayathri believes the tragedy happened because
the government mishandled a sensitive issue. "I am facing all these
problems because of the government. So I am not going to vote this
time," she says.
Gayathri is confident that sheall somehow sail through the difficult
times. "I have passed 10th standard. I will try to get a job because I
need to take care of my child," she says.
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