Hemraj’s mom, wife call off hunger strike

The widow and mother of Lance Naik Hemraj, 32, who was beheaded by Pakistani soldiers in an ambush on the Line of Control on January 8, ended their protest fast after being persuaded by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who met them at their home in Shernagar village in this district on Monday.

The widow and mother of Lance Naik Hemraj, 32, who was beheaded by Pakistani soldiers in an ambush on the Line of Control on January 8, ended their protest fast after being persuaded by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who met them at their home in Shernagar village in this district on Monday.

The slain soldier’s widow, Dharamwati, 28, and mother Meena Devi, 55, were on hunger strike since January 9 to demand that Hemraj’s severed head be handed over to the family.

Yadav offered the family R25 lakh as assistance and assured state government jobs for Hemraj’s brothers Pooran Singh and Jai Singh. Yadav also directed the district administration to prepare a development package for the village soon.

Union minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh also visited the family to offer condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and defence minister AK Antony. He said a package of R46 lakh would soon be offered to the family.

Earlier BJP president Nitin Gadkari, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh visited the family to offer their condolences.