Pall of gloom descends on Gautam’s home in Kanchanpur

Kanchanpur, March 20

A pall of gloom has descended at the home of Govind Gautam at Janakbasti of Punarbas Municipality, Kanchanpur.

Gautam’s father Khemlal, 72, was clad in white and Gautam’s wife Laxmi’s eyes were welling up with tears.

Visitors watched silently. Gautam was killed in a firing from personnel of Sashastra Seema Bal of India over a culvert construction dispute at the Nepal-India border on March 9.

According to Khemlal, state representatives have not visited them, although journalists and some party leaders have come to see them.

Khemlal said that they had received no information from the state regarding the relief that was announced by the government for them.

Govind’s death has shattered many dreams and hopes for his family. “I was hoping that he would earn good money so that we could live a good life,” Khemlal said.

Govind’s mother Haridevi said, “The border dispute has lingered for the past three decades. Neither the government nor party leaders have done much to resolve it.”

Gautam is survived by three daughters — Ashima,10, Akriti, 8, and Anshu, 2. Ashima and Akriti study in Grade V and Grade I. With the death of their father, both have stopped attending  school. Laxmi said that they would not get justice until the guilty were punished. “My husband’s soul will get peace only after the border dispute is settled,” she added.

Laxmi said what bothered her the most was how she would rear her three children.

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