Uttar Pradesh: Rahul to meet bereaved dalit family

Etawah, Mar 15: A day after Chief Minister Mayawati visited Etawah where five members of a dalit family were killed, Congress General Secretary and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi met the bereaved family and assured all possible help to the four survivors- all minor girls.

Rahul, who reached here this morning met the eldest survivor eight-year old Tripti, and announced that the Congress would give Rs 2.5 lakh as fixed deposit to be used by her when she attained majorship.

In a gruesome act, five members, including two women, were shot dead over an old land dispute at Ameenaba village in Ekdil area on the outskirts of Etawah town on March 12. Four members, including a three-month old baby girl, were the only survivors in the attack.

The Amethi MP, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Reeta Bahuguna Joshi and Congress Legislator Party leader Pramod Tiwari, closetted with the bereaved small daughter of Vishram Singh for about half-an-hour. He took account of the incident and advised the girl to take care of her siblings.

He also gave an assurance of taking care of the education and other needs of the family.

Later, the eight-year-old told newspersons that the Congress leader consoled her and asked her to study hard to take responsibilty of her sisters who incidentally stay with their maternal grandmother in Himmatpur, another village in the district.

Earlier yesterday, soon after receiving Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Varanasi, Ms Mayawati air dashed to Etawah and met the bereaved family.

Besides suspending the Ekdil police station in-charge Gyan Prakash Singh during her 30-minutes stay, the Chief Minister announced that BSP would take responsibility for the education and marriage of the victims' children.

The state government had already announced a financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to the bereaved family. Besides, Rs 20,000 as ex-gratia would be given.

The BSP supremo also directed the police to swoop upon the accused at the earliest and take stringent action against them.

UNI