A doted father, caring husband, Rajan's family is shattered

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 23

When Rajan, a fireman, last left his home with wife on her scooter, he asked her to drive slowly while she was going back after dropping him. His wife, Rekha, looked at him and he looked back and waived. “I had never imagined that I was seeing my husband for the last time,” said Rekha, in choked voice.

Today, she feels helpless, shattered as she has to take care of her three kids, eight-year-old Jessica (daughter), seven-year-old Join (daughter) and three-year-old Richard (son).

Rekha said Rajan was a loving and caring person, who always loved the family. “The kids are too small and Rajan used to take care of them. He used to dress up the children, walk them to the van and extend all other help. How will I survive without him? There is no other breadwinner in the family,” said Rekha.

Before leaving home on the ill-fated day, Rajan asked his wife to get the admission form for their son from a school. “Both daughters are studying in Sacred Heart School at Bhattiyan. We wanted our son to be admitted there too. Rajan was a concerned father,” she said, in a helpless manner. She added that during the night hours, whenever kids wanted anything, it was Rajan who used to wake up.

The three kids come, sit with mother, wipe her tears and then go out and play. Son Richard asks for father again and again and he is given a reply that Jesus has called his father. “They are too small to understand what has happened to them. There is no breadwinner in the family. None from the government or administration came here to share their grief.

We want a job for Rekha, so that she can raise her three small children or else it would be too difficult to live alone,” said Simmi, Rekha’s maternal aunt.

Rajan has left behind his wife, three children, mother and two sisters, who are married. “Life without him is dark but I have to live for my kids. They are too small, they need me,” said Rekha.