Sports min provides Rs 2,00,000 medical assistance to Arunima

Maken, who had earlier announced an immediate ex-gratia of Rs 25,000 for her treatment, said the government would give more monetary help if required. The Railway Ministry also today assured a job to Arunima, who is recuperating in the Barelli civic hospital. Railway Board Chairman Vivek Sahai said Railways would also bear all her treatment cost including providing her a prosthetic leg.

"Last night, the Sports ministry had announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 25,000 and today after receiving the report from the SAI officials, we have decided to give her a medical compensation of Rs 2,00,000 for her treatment," Maken said.

"As soon as the sports ministry came to know about the unfortunate incident yesterday, we deputed three officers from the Sports Authority of India to visit the hospital, where Arunima alias Sonu is admitted, and submit a report in this matter immediately.

"After receiving the report, we decided to give Rs 200,000 for her medical treatment and if necessary, we are going to give more money for whatever treatment she requires to get into best of health," he added.

He also appealed to the Uttar Pradesh administration to speed up its inquiry into the matter and ensure the security of women travelling in trains. "I would also like to appeal to the UP state government to come forward and help this athlete. It is the duty of the UP adminsitration to take care of Sonu Sinha. She had represented Uttar Pradesh in National School Games in 2002 and the incident happened near Bareilly, so I want them to help her in all possible ways and compensate her adequately. But at this stage I don't want to get into details," he said.

Sonu, a 23-year-old national level player, was pushed by three men out of the Padmavat Express on Monday between Chenati and Bareilly railway stations while she tried to resist a robbery attempt.

As she fell on the track, she was hit by another train moving on a parallel track and her left leg below the knee was crushed. A profusely bleeding Sonu was rushed to the district hospital in Bareilly, where her leg was amputated. She was travelling to Gautam Buddha Nagar in Noida to appear in a CISF recruitment examination next month.

Maken also informed reporters that he had written to Home and Railway ministries to give a suitable job to volleyball player, since she was travelling by train for her examination for CISF which comes under Home ministry.

"I wrote a letter last night to the Railway minister asking her to give adequate compensation to this athlete and also to speed up the inquiry so that justice can be done.

"Similarly, I have written a letter to the Home minister, faxed it to his office and residence today, requesting him that since she was going for a CISF interview which she will now not be able to attend and perhaps after losing a limb, she may not be able to play as actively as she used to play earlier, it would be in fitness of things and justice that CISF gives her a job for which she was travelling by that train," he said.

Sonu had also represented Chattisgarh in the Inter-university Volleyball championship in 2004.