Balm for Ragailong terror victims
Unlike CM, PM keeps word, pays ex-gratia
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 17 2008: Ex-gratia from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund to the victims of the Ragailong bomb blast have been distributed during a function at Ragailong here today.

On the other hand, the JAC formed in connection with the incident has announced its decision of taking recourse to legal assistance in case the State Government fails to provide the ex-gratia to the kins of the victims as promised earlier at the earliest possible.

In all 18 persons were killed and 38 others wounded in the blast which occurred in the night of October 21 this year.

Ex-gratia amount handed over to a kin of the terror victim

The ex-gratia amount from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund to the victims were distributed during a solemn function organised by the JAC at Ragailong village.

For the first phase, the ex-gratia amount has been given for 16 persons who were killed and 29 others who sustained injuries in the bomb last.

A sum of Rs 1 lakh each has been released to the kins of the dead while Rs 50,000 each were give to the injured.

Speaking at the occasion, JAC president Munindro Waikhom explained that although 18 persons have been killed in the bomb blast, the ex-gratia amount from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund would be received by only 17 of them.

The JAC excluded the name of the deceased person after his family members insisted that they would try to seek the ex-gratia by themselves.

For the first phase, the ex-gratia amount has been given for the 16 persons who were killed and 29 others who sustained injuries while in the second phase, it would be given for the one remaining deceased person and nine injured persons.

Since the ex-gratia amount from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund has been provided to the victims through the bank accounts of the Punjab and Sind Bank in accordance to the laid down terms and condition, the bank pass books were handed over to the victims and their family members during the function today.

Munindro further said that the ex-gratia amount has been provided to the victims of the Ragailong bomb blast as the Prime Minister has taken serious note of the incident.

However, even after almost 2 months of the incident, the State Government is yet take up any process for providing ex-gratia to the victims inspite of the earlier State Cabinet decision in this regard.

Decrying the failure of the State Govt to implement the State Cabinet decision, Munindro announced that the JAC would take recourse to legal assistance if the Government fails to provide the ex-gratia amount to the victims at the earliest possible.

The JAC has also been trying to ensure free education from class nursery to class XII for two children of each of the deceased persons under the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Munindro disclosed.