Excelsior Correspondent
DELHI, July 20: Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) in a meeting here has termed the recent tragic incident of boat capsize in a river at Pahalgam, which caused death of Rinku Raj Pandita, an employee of Tourism Department on duty as shocking for everyone, particularly for Kashmiri Pandit community.
“The uprooted family of the deceased Rinku Raj Pandita, only son and protection to his old parents presently in great shock, wants to know from the concerned authorities and the management as to why so laxity was in their job on the day of incident. Why proper instructions were not given to the deceased employee before permitting him to board on raft boats. The tragic incident has created a big question mark,” said Kundan Kashmiri President KPC.
He said the State administration, no doubt, has ordered an inquiry in the matter to find a real and exact cause and circumstances of the incident for which the victim’s family is also waiting eagerly, but from the last fortnight nothing has been heard in this regard.
He further said, earlier Rouf Ahmed Dar has lost his life in a similar incident while saving the life of some tourists and his bravery efforts were praised by everyone in the State including politicians, officers and others and his name was recommended for bravery award by the concerned district authorities and proper compensation was given to his family, adding that unfortunately late Rinku Raj’s case has not been taken seriously from any quarters and very meagre compensation of Rs 2 lakh were granted in this case as compared to such other cases.
The KPC President Kundan Kashmiri has appealed the State and the Centre Govt for compensation/ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh, scholarships and other benefits to three teenage kids of the deceased.
In this regard, Kundan has issued a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India, Home Minister of India, MoS PMO and Governor of J&K for justice.
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