KEM mishap: After losing job, infant’s father may discontinue his studies

For the Rajbhar family, the intervening night of November 6 and 7 has forced life to take a tragic turn. After the fire that led to two-month-old Prince suffering

For the Rajbhar family, the intervening night of November 6 and 7 has forced life to take a tragic turn. After the fire that led to two-month-old Prince suffering serious burns and an amputation, now his father has lost his job and may have to discontinue his studies.

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On Wednesday, Pannalal Rajbhar, 29, lost his job at a factory in Delhi after he asked his superior for extended leave. “It is a private factory. They asked me to rejoin immediately which I couldn’t as I need at least two months’ leave to stay with my family.” Pannalal earned around ₹15,000 monthly.

In 2016, Pannalal had joined a correspondence-based degree course taught by a polytechnic in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, with the intention of qualifying himself to get a better paid job. “Being an orphan, I don’t have any financial support of my parents,” he said.

Pannalal is in the final year of the course and the next semester examination will be held on December 7. “If I don’t sit for the examination, then my whole year will be wasted and I can’t leave my family in Mumbai alone considering the condition of my child,” he said. Pannalal is worried that he has to drop out of the course, which costs ₹35,000 annually. “Now, that I don’t even have a job, I won’t be able to pay the annual fees again to reappear for the examination,” he said.

At the moment, Pannalal’s brother-in-law-Satiram Rajbhar, who works as a tailor in Wadala, is supporting the family. Satiram lives in a single room in a chawl with his wife and their six children. He had suggested Pannalal to bring Prince to Mumbai after the infant was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease. “I feel guilty that I called him here, so I have to take care of the family. But considering my family’s responsibilities, I won’t be able to support his educational expenditure,” said Satiram.

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