Slain jawan’s mother stares at uncertain future

NAGPUR: It was a double whammy of sorts for Pramila Ghyanshyam Balpande, 64. Pramila lost her only son Mangesh Pan- dey, 35, a CRPF jawan in the Maoist ambush near Sukma in Chhattisgarh on March 11 this year. And now, her daughter-inlaw Sheetal, 26, expressed intentions to desert Pramila and fend for herself.

The family has got ₹70 lakh after Pandey’s death. The gov- ernment paid ₹35 lakh ex-gratia to Sheetal for being left a young widow, actor Akshay Kumar gave ₹9 lakh, ₹14 lakh from Risk Fund, ₹10 lakh from CM’s fund and ₹50,000 from Saina Nehwal, while Pramila, mother of Mangesh, got only ₹6 lakh. The con- flict over sharing of money and available opportunity was glar- ingly visible between the two women. Pramila is at present looking an uncertain future with Sheetal expressing desire to desert her.