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This is an archive article published on November 24, 2007
12-yr-old, family146;s main breadwinner, killed
Manoj, at 12 years of age, was a breadwinner for his family. His family has many members, including four young sisters and three brothers...
Written by Anuraagsingh
Varanasi | November 24, 2007 12:00 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
Manoj, at 12 years of age, was a breadwinner for his family. His family has many members, including four young sisters and three brothers, one of whom is only a month old. Son of Jilayeet and Savita who live in Chowkaghat area of Varanasi, Manoj was killed in the blast that occurred at the Varanasi Collectorate and court premises on Friday afternoon.
Manoj earned a living by polishing people8217;s shoes at the court premises to complement his father8217;s meagre earnings. 8220;Every evening, he arranged food for the family as his father could not earn enough by cleaning ears of people. We have lost the real earning member of the family,8221; said his aunt Tara. She and Manoj8217;s grandmother were waiting to see his body at the Varanasi District Hospital.
The Dalit family, which hails from Akbarpur, made Varanasi their home ten years ago.
When told about the ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh to be given to the family, his mother said, 8220;If I kill your son, can you accept Rs 2 lakh as replacement for him.8221;
8220;Kya Mayawatiji mere bete ko vapas la dengi is do lakh rupye se Can Mayawati bring back my son with this Rs 2 lakh,8221; she said, breaking into tears.
Lawyers at the Varanasi court too were shocked. 8220;He not only polished our shoes, but even accepted our abuses as jokes. It is unbelievable that the boy who was some relief for us in times of tension is lost forever,8221; said Prashant, one of the lawyers there.
LIST OF DEAD
The names of some of those killed in Friday8217;s serial blasts in Faizabad and Varanasi court premises:
8226; Radhika Prasad lawyer, Faizabad
8226; Om Prakash stamp vendor, Faizabad
8226; Lal Saheb Faizabad
8226; Sabura Faizabad
8226; Bhola Nath Singh lawyer, Varanasi
8226; Bramha Prakash Sharma lawyer, Varanasi
8226; Budhiraj Verma lawyer, Varanasi
8226; Kamaruzzman Varanasi
8226; Y N Singh
8226; Manoj
8226; Katwaru Yadav
8226; Ajai Kumar Pandey
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Two of the deceased, one each from Faizabad and Varanasi, are yet to be identified.
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