Three families lose sole bread earners in Saturday’s firing

Sunil Rai (28) was the youngest among three youths who died when police opened fire on stone-pelting Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters in Darjeeling on Saturday. Like Mahesh Gurung (25) and Bimal Shashanker (28), Sunil too was the sole bread earner in his family.

Sunil was a resident of village No 8 in Kaijalay bastee near Bijanbari, about 35 km from Darjeeling. A driver by profession, Sunil married two years ago and left behind a 10 -month-old son, his wife and ailing parents. Since one of Sunil’s elder brothers has no work, he virtually became the guardian of his two nephews as well. Sunil’s uncle Aita Singh Thani said he was present when post-mortem examination was done on the youth. “Sunil was shot twice in the head,” Singh told Hindustan Times.

Gurung, who died while he was being taken to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri on Saturday, was a resident of Relling bastee in Bijanbari, about 35 km from Darjeeling. “He used to work in Jaipur and came home about a month ago. He is survived by his parents, brother and sister. He was the only earning member of the family,” said Raju Gurung, the victim’s uncle. A bachelor, Gurung was reportedly shot in the arm, people claimed. His body was supposed to be brought to Darjeeling on Sunday evening and GJM supporters were planning to take out a procession.

Shashanker, a farmer from Kajmer bastee in Goke, was shot while he and other GJM members were going to Singamari. “The police started lobbing tear gas shells without any provocation. The agitators responded with stones. Suddenly, Bimal fell down. He was shot,” said Raja Lohagan, Shashanker cousin brother. The sole bread earner in the family, he is survived by his 8-year-old son, wife and parents.