SRINAGAR: Waking up to poverty-driven suicide, Jammu and Kashmir government is considering providing financial assistance to the family of a 15-year-old girl who jumped into Jhelum at Sopore last week.
Since the rules do not permit jobs in such cases, the administration is contemplating providing financial assistance and help in the treatment of the ailing brother of the deceased.
“There is no scheme which permits a job for the next of kin of the suicide victim. The administration is run under some rules and provisions. We are looking into providing financial help to the family. We have reached out to the family. The administration is equally pained. We will try to prevent such incidents in the future,” a top officer told The Kashmir Monitor.
Driven by poverty and illness, a 15-year-old girl from Sopore jumped into Jhelum on December 12. SDRF, Marine Commandos (Marcos), and trained divers have been pressed into service to locate the body. Seven days have passed, but the body is yet to be traced.
“Normally after 36 hours of drowning, the body gets petrified and rises on the surface. Earlier, in a similar drowning incident, we fished out the body of a child after 10-20 days. It is a typical case of drowning wherein the body has not surfaced. We are trying our best to locate the body,” said Parvaiz Sajad, Additional Deputy Commissioner.
Divers and rescue teams have intensified their operation to find out the body. “We have used all means to locate the body. We also pressed fishermen into service. Marcos teams too came in to help. If expert teams advise something more, we will readily do that. We are not leaving any stone unturned,” said Parvaiz.
It has been nine years since the family has been pushed to the margins due to poverty. Fareeda’s husband was the sole breadwinner. A driver by profession, he died in an accident leaving behind his wife and three children. His elder daughter is pursuing graduation and the lone son is suffering from chronic kidney disease.
Unable to cope with the family pressure, the girl slipped into depression. “They were facing a financial crisis. Friends, relatives, and others were trying their best to help them out. But they could do it to a certain extent. The family did not have money for the kidney transplant of the son. It all led to distress. And she became the casualty,” said Shahnaz Shafi Khuroo, cousin of the teenager.
On the other side, Fareeda has appealed to the government to provide a job for one of her kids. “I appeal to the administration to help us out provide some livelihood to one of my kids,” she said.
