Pulwama attack anniversary: Promises unfulfilled, martyrs' families wait for memorial

On February 14, 2019, a powerful explosion rocked a convoy of CRPF personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Jammu and Kashmir,  on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway at Latoomode in Pulwama district. The powerful explosion, triggered by a suicide bomber carrying explosives in a car, reduced a CRPF bus to a mangled heap of iron and 40 jawans lost their lives. 

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack and police identified the suicide bomber as Adil Ahmed who officials said joined the Jaish in 2018. 

A year after Pulwama attack, we remember the sacrifice of the martyred jawans and visit the families to know how they have been coping up with the loss.

This is a series by Zee Media on the fallen CRPF jawans. 

Rohitash Lamba (Rajasthan)

Rohitash Lamba, a resident of Govindpura area of Shahpura in Rajasthan, lost his life in the terrorist attack in Pulwama. He had the paramilitary force two years ago and had married only a year ago.

He left behind a 2-month-old son who has now turned one. 

The family alleges that the government has forgotten his martyrdom and the announcement made have remained only on papers. The family was promised renaming of the school in his native Basdi village after him. They were also promised a government job to one member of the family. 

The family seems to have now lost hope after running around government offices for a year. 

His widow breaks down as she remembers her husband. His one-year-old son Dhruv is still unable to understand anything happening around him but keeps kissing the picture of his father. Jitendra Kumar is proud of the sacrifice made by his brother and says while Rohitash received respect and love, those who made promises have forgotten them. 

While the family received Rs 1 crore financial assistance, the family's complaint is about recognition of his sacrifice in the form of a memorial. Kin of Rohitash say that the money will not be there tomorrow but a memorial will keep his memory alive and will inspire future generations. 

If roads and schools are named after politicians, why not after those who sacrificed their lives for the nation?

Jeet Ram Gurjar  (Rajasthan)

The family of Jeet Ram Gurjar in Rajasthan's Bharatpur has a similar complaint - government's short memory on promises. Sitting on a cot near her kuchcha house in Sundarawali village, Jeet Ram's mother is proud of her son's sacrifice. But does pride give you food? Not for Jeet Ram's family. 

Jeet Ram, one of the 40 bravehearts who lost their lives to the horrific terror act, left behind a widow, two children, parents and a younger brother. 

The family is still waiting for due honours that should have been given to Jeet Ram. The mother whispers that if her son had been alive, the condition would have been different. 

The family is still making rounds of politicians and babus for the government to fulfil its promise of a job to a kin. Although they have received a financial help of Rs 50 lakh, a regular source of income, which a job would have provided, is still awaited. 

Among the promises made by the politicians was a memorial which is yet to be built. Now the family is arranging its own money to build a memorial for the martyred son. 

Jeet Ram's brother Vikram said the then Lok Sabha MP Bahadur Singh Koli had announced a memorial and had promised Rs 10 lakh for it. He, however, never kept his promise. The family was also promised an agricultural electricity connection and renaming of a school after the martyr. 

None of the promises has been fulfilled. 

Vikram said the family contacted district administration several times but did not get a response. Now, they plan to collect funds and build the memorial. 

Out of 40 martyred CRPF jawans, five were from Rajasthan: Rohitash Lamba, Jeet Ram, Narayan Lal Gurjar, Hemraj Meena and Bhagirath Singh.