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This is an archive article published on June 4, 2022

Bank manager promised wife Kashmir was safe

He managed to keep one promise. The other two remain unfulfilled as her husband, Vijay Beniwal (29), bank manager at Ellaquai Dehati Bank (EDB) branch in south Kashmir's Kulgam was killed by suspected militants on Thursday.

Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, Rajasthan news, Ellaquai Dehati Bank, Indian Express, India news, current affairs, Indian Express News Service, Express News Service, Express News, Indian Express India NewsVijay Beniwal with wife Manoj Kumari

Manoj Kumari believed in her husband. She was sure that he would become a branch manager at his bank, took his word when he promised their honeymoon in Kashmir would be safe and that would one day they would return to Rajasthan.

He managed to keep one promise. The other two remain unfulfilled as her husband, Vijay Beniwal (29), bank manager at Ellaquai Dehati Bank (EDB) branch in south Kashmir’s Kulgam was killed by suspected militants on Thursday.

They had tied the knot in February and Vijay spent the initial days of his marriage professing his love for her over the phone. Then he convinced her to shift with him in Kashmir.

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“He told me Kashmir was safe. For our honeymoon, he took me to Pahalgam and Vaishno Devi. After our honeymoon, I started getting scared as the targeted killings began in Kashmir. He told me that bank employees were not targeted in Kashmir. He promised to become the branch manager and take a posting in Rajasthan,” Kumari (26) said.

Vijay had been posted in Kashmir after qualifying the Regional Rural Banks exam in 2019. He was initially posted as a clerk, but later was posted as a bank PO after passing a qualifying exam. His family now faces a tough time ahead as they had taken a Rs 19 lakh loan to renovate their family home in Hanumangarh’s Nora Tehsil. Vijay’s father is the only remaining breadwinner, while Kumari has decided to become a teacher.

At the family home, Om Prakash (54), peered into the local newspapers with his son’s wedding photos splashed across the front pages announcing his death. “No politician has visited my family today…My son… never said anything bad about Kashmir. We were waiting for him to return home …my son returned home in a hearse van,” Prakash said.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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