Bengal ministers meet next of kin of Pahalgam terror victims in city, hand over financial support

Kolkata: West Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas on Tuesday met the next of kin of two Pahalgam terror attack victims at their residences here and handed over compensation on behalf of the state government.

Hakim, Minister of Urban Development and Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and Biswas, minister of Power and Sports/Youth Affairs, met the widow and daughter of Pahalgam terror attack victim Samir Guha at their Behala residence.

They also met the widow and parents of another victim Bitan Adhikari in Baisnabghata area in the southern part of the city.

While Samir's wife Sabari Guha was given Rs 10 lakh cheque at her residence, Adhikari's wife Sohini and parents Bireshwar Adhikary (87) and Maya Adhikary (75) were separately given Rs 5 lakh each by the ministers.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier announced that Rs 10 lakh will be given to the next of kin of the three residents of the state who fell to terrorist bullets at Pahalgam on April 22. Due to the acute financial stress of the parents of Adhikari, the CM had announced that of the allotted one time financial grant of Rs 10 lakh - Rs 5 lakh each will be given to his widow and his ailing parents.

Hakim told reporters after meeting the two families, "We are on their side. We pledge our support and solidarity to the families. We condemn the dastardly terror attack and want the Centre to give a befitting reply to those having sponsored terrorist attacks on innocent civilians.

Among the three terrorist attack victims from Bengal, Adhikari and Guha were from Kolkata, while another Manish Ranjan Mishra was from Jhalda in Purulia district.