Wives of slain cops demand due relief

Widows of 11 policemen killed in anti-Veerappan operations launch united fight

Widows of 11 slain policemen who lost their lives in the operation against forest brigand Veerappan, have now organised themselves. Their only motto is ‘a fitting honour for their husbands sacrifice in the line of duty’.

“Whenever we ask for our due rights, people taunt us for seeking alms. Call us beggars, but we are only trying to ensure that we get justice,” said Jayamma, wife of late Siddaraju in a broken voice after addressing media here on Friday.

She lost her constable husband in an attack on Ramapura police station in undivided Mysore district, by the sandalwood smuggler way back in the year 1992.

Continuing haplessly Jayamma said that apart from living with the pain of losing the bread winner of the family, she couldn’t ensure education for her three children. Elder son Nandish was a four-and-a-half year old, while Radha was a year younger to him. Younger son Shivakumar was still a toddler.

Nandish now has a degree and younger is still pursuing second PUC. A job from the government to the Nandish would bring them respite, said Jayamma wiping her tears.
For Nagaveni, her struggle continues even after her son Vasanth Kumar got a job as a police constable on compassionate grounds.

Nagaveni’s husband D Elangovan was also the victim of Rampapura station attack. Vasanth Kumar was aged nine at that time, while his siblings Ashok Kumar and Mohan Kumar were aged six and four respectively.

Vasanth Kumar separated from his mother after he got the job and lives with his family. What has compounded Nagaveni’s agony is Ashok Kumar’s heart ailment.
Lakshmi, wife of Govindu, who was also posted at Ramapura at that time, has a son with a MBA degree. But he’s been employed with a private company. Job assurance from the government still  eludes them. Mangalamma, whose husband Rachappa is among Ramapura victims also faces the same plight.

Similar is the problem faced by C K Damayanthi of Kodagu whose husband C M Kalappa was killed in Meenyam ambush along with S T Harikrishna and SI Shakeel Ahmed. She too has grown up children Supritha and Suthan.

Jobs

However, what could be termed as a respite in the case of three others; Saroja, Yamuna Kumari and Dakshayini is the job assurance fulfilled by the government. Saroja’s husband A Prabhakar and Dakshayini’s husband M Swamy were killed in Talagbetta attack. While Yamuna Kumari lost her husband Prem Kumar in Ramapura incident.

Saroja’s son Raghavendra is a driver with the veterinary department, while Yamuna Kumari was feted with a job as second division assistant at water resources department. Dakshayini is an attender at district civil rights enforcement cell (DCREC) at SP’s office.

Though they were given a compensation of Rs five lakh and a site (1/4 of the total site amount paid by them), it hardly could be a balm for the pain. They alleged that when the government considered over 100 special task force (STF) personnel for compensation after Veerappan’s death, the families of earlier policemen who paid with their lives were ignored.

In the wake of increasing prices of essential commodities, the government should enhance the pension on par with existing personnel and also extend health schemes for their benefit, the wives of police martyr’s demanded.